Harry Potter and the Quest for Pieces
by Geovanni Luciano
Summary: Takes place after HBP, Harry is by the Lake, thinking about betrayal when a friend joins him for a much needed conversation and to kick his butt.
1. Recompense

**Harry Potter and the **

**Quest for Pieces**

**By: Geovanni Luciano**

**Recompense**

Harry Potter was a boy that was barely getting by. He had a weight that had been placed on his shoulders with all the time that he had spent with his former headmaster. A weight and a puzzle that needed to be desperately solved, and time was running out.

Now was not the time for feeling sorry for himself, he mused over and over again. He had just broken up with Ginny Weasley and although that break up was supposed to be to make sure that she would be safe, that she wouldn't be a target, through her words he knew that they would never get back together.

She had said that he would never be happy unless he was chasing after Voldemort. She was very wrong, and he spent the past three hours sitting here, quietly by himself by the lake at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

He sat there mulling over his thoughts as they drifted to the subsequent conversation and then confession that Ginny had provided only an hour later. She had used Amortentia on him. It had only been the last couple of months, however she had done it.

Since the Headmaster had passed away, she had seen how desperately hopeless Harry Potter had been and with her own thoughts of what had happened to her brother Bill, she had stopped in her attempts to provide him of his regular dose. She had finally thought of him as Harry, and not the boy-who-lived.

He thought about his initial reaction to her revelation about the love potion and conveyed the story of Merope Gaunt and the subsequent consequences, the birth of the darkest Dark Lord that the Wizarding world has seen to date. His words were violent and venomous that were reflected in his eyes.

She had been distraught when he left, and the tears that stung her eyes did show that she was remorseful. He had to leave. He had to be out of her presence, so he stormed off, down corridors and finally out the front entrance towards where he found himself sitting now.

He had questions, now. Questions that he had failed to ask while the headmaster was still alive. He had always put them off until maybe later, he'd get a chance to ask. Maybe later, the answers would come and clarification would be had. But later never came, because of school work or because of another encroaching adventure.

He mulled over those unasked and unanswered questions. Why had the headmaster failed to train him from the day he was separated by death from his parents? If I am the wizarding worlds last hope for a chance to beat Tom Riddle why was my training so lax, especially since the end of fourth year when Voldemort had regained his body.

As Chief Mugwump, why had the headmaster permitted Deloris Umbridge, or allowed her obvious torture, he asked himself staring at the back of his scarred hands and the words that were etched in his flesh for the rest of his life. Why put it on us that year to train ourselves?

The biggest question he had failed to ask was about Sirius Black, his godfather. Why was Sirius chucked into Azkaban without a trial? Why was he deliberately placed in a house, he would not call it a home, where he had been obviously hated.

Sirius had a house that was under the Fidelus Charm, Harry thought bitterly, and then thought again about the second part of his unasked question about Sirius. Why at the end of fourth year had Harry not been permitted to live in a house where the death eaters would never find him?

He felt his anger starting to swell within him, now. He thought bitterly of his parents, and ask the question that he dared never thought of until just right at that moment. Why couldn't Dad or Mum been the Secret Keeper at Godric's Hollow, and who cast the Fidelus? He knew that it wasn't an easy charm to cast and only a handful or Witches or Wizards would be strong enough in Charms-work to pull it off.

Harry had plenty of unanswered and unasked questions and was beginning to feel the start of righteous fury starting to swell within him when he heard to soft foot-fall of someone approaching him from behind.

"Hullo Harry." Luna said solemnly looking at him now, the dreamy look not present in her eyes. The sight of her red and puffy eyes from obvious tears had immediately replaced his anger with concern for his friend. He patted the ground next to him and gave her a soft smile indicating his wish for her to sit with him.

She sat next to him silently and quietly stared at the giant squid as it played in the lake in front of them. From the corner of his eye he saw her tears return as she soundlessly sobbed to herself.

Harry reached up for her taking Luna into an embrace, while she let loose a shaky sob in the nape of his neck. It tickled slightly, but Harry, having dated Cho Chang knew that it would have been inappropriate to laugh. He sat holding her silently rubbing his hand up and down her back while she cried.

"Luna, what is wrong. Why are you so sad." Harry asked quietly.

"I just talked with Ginny about what she had done to you. It wasn't fair for you Harry. I know that with the exception of taking me to Professor Slughorn's party that we've not seen too much of each other, but you deserve better than that. It was a selfish thing that she did, and it upset me. I'd looked for you for such a long time inside the castle, even going to the room of requirement, which in retrospect I s'pose was a bad idea as you wouldn't have gone there with what happened, but I just wanted, no needed to check on you."

"You're a very good friend, Luna. Thank you." Harry smiled his first genuine smile in a very long time, while reaching up taking Luna's face in his hands. He carefully wiped her eyes. "It just isn't natural to see tears in these eyes of yours."

Harry leaned back against his favorite tree, while Luna put her head on his shoulder and they sat there silently watching as the giant squid began lobbing merpeople into the air. In this time a healing began for the two friends. There were still the unasked and unanswered questions but for Harry, being here with Luna was something that he knew, at that moment that he needed.

"Why?" She asked plainly.

"Why what, Luna?" Harry asked with an honesty in his voice that he truly didn't know.

"Well…" She said, and then paused. She thought about her question long and hard. She knew that there was a time for truth and that time had rapidly approached until it was staring her directly in the face. She questioned her motivation for a moment. Could she trust him with that secret. Her secret?

He had been truthful and honest. Sure, she had heard the stories of the boy-who-lived from her friend, Ginny, growing up, but in the end, he had been a baby, she had finally rationalized. There wasn't much more to it than that. Having seen him in the halls of Hogwarts intermittently throughout her time here, and finally meeting him and seeing what a nice boy that Harry Potter was, had changed her opinion. She had never seen him as some valiant knight come to rescue a fair maiden. He was an enigma.

Harry looked up at her and for the very first time in his entire time of knowing Luna Lovegood, saw a look that he had never seen before. He had seen a look of wonder and that of distance. He had seen that dreamy look in her eyes over and over again, constantly. He had seen a look of quiet contemplation, but he had never, ever in his life, seen a look of utter bewilderment, and that of sorrow.

The sorrow plucked at his heart to the point it hurt him on such a deep level that he couldn't convert that contemplation into anything rational. She was Luna. She was always happy, or engaged in thought and she was above all things honest. In retrospect, that had been what had drawn him to her and to be her friend was that she was just her. For people to pick on her for being who she wanted to be would drive him into madness, because beyond everything else that she had presented to the world, she was a good person.

"Harry, I may not have been completely honest with you as I should have been." She finally finished meekly.

"What do you mean?" He asked with a little bit of hesitation. She noticed it immediately, but when she looked up and her crystal blue eyes met his and he noticed the look of worry in her eyes, he soften his gaze for a moment.

"Please don't tell Ronald?" She asked, with a pleading in her voice which was almost an admission of guilt. He could tell that there was something that she was hiding. There was some great secret that was just on the tip of her tongue. He could tell more than anything else that she was about to tell him this great secret and the apprehension of telling him this was weighing heavily upon her.

Harry Potter was a great many things, and while he was cunning to a fault, having had the need to be thrust upon him in having to deal with his relatives, he was also loyal to those whom he had faithfully laid claim to calling his friends. She, Luna Lovegood, had been luckily lumped into that group that he claimed to be friend. He was apprehensive, but the Gryffindor prior and courage one out in the end.

"Please tell me." He said finally, flat, but with a resolve and an openness that had reached his eyes that she could not help but see and commit to believing that he would understand.

"Ronald, at one time; while we were growing up, had been very cruel to me. Harry, you have to understand one thing about me. First, I have a bit of advantage over you, and I say this with the utmost and deepest respect for you as my friend that I'm not looking down upon you with pity or anything else, and that is that I had a mum that I knew and that had loved me a great deal. My mum was a very imaginative person and on quite a few occasions sent me to bed with fancy stories of strange and unbelievable creature. Every night, in fact, she would tell me stories of these fantastic creatures and make these stories believable. Now, I can see the look of incredulousness in your eyes but remember, that my mum died when I was quite young and still too early for Hogwarts." She strung together completely together in a way that reminded Harry very much of Hermione, however the speed of which wasn't in exasperation but of nervousness. Harry quickly reached out, took Luna's hand in his, intertwined their fingers and gave a soft squeeze of encouragement. "Harry, we have some Fae blood in our family line on mum's side and while that is increasingly rare, mum fancied herself a bit of a fictional writer. Not to be publishing stories of great epic battles but that of children's night-time stories. So you have to understand that some of the stories she told me were true but on other accounts they were flights of fancy."

"Luna I think that I can see where you're going with this and I want you to know that beyond anything that you reveal to me and even before you do it, you are now and will always be my friend."

"Harry, I'm afraid a lot of the times I was having one on Ronald. I'd do things a bit off, but only because he was a bit cruel to me before I could properly deal with mum's accident. He would mock and tease me growing up and unfortunately I became accustomed to it. I didn't dissuade him from it because in a sense, his belief in what I conveyed to me that my mum was still with me on some level."

"Luna, look at me please." Harry said, almost pleading and once her eyes were locked with his he could see that the entire Loony Lovegood personality had been a fairy story of it's own, and while she may have some abilities that other witches and wizards may not have, she was more than capable of keeping up appearance. He could even see somewhat of a devilish glint to her eyes which conveyed that she had be, and had also continued to be having one over on Ron. He could also see that on some levels that Ron had deserved what she had done to him.

"Harry, look I'm trying to tell you something, and I'm having a bit of a difficult time with it, so if you could give me a moment I think I might be able to muddle my way through it."

"As long as you're not going to tell me that you're someone I really never knew in the first place, I'm fine, because on that level you are scaring me a bit. I hope I know you. I pray that I do, in fact. You've really been a good friend, and I would hate for it to be ruined by this." Harry said with a trace amount of fear.

"Harry, most of the odd things that I say or do when I was around Ronald Weasley was because I knew that it would erk him. I did it to him to keep him off of his guard and so that he would leave me the bloody hell alone. I didn't think that it would go this far, but unfortunately, with you not around he was a bit mean. Not overly cruel as he had been, but I can probably attribute it to being his life work and that he would have the opportunity to do other extracurricular activities."

"Snog Hermione?" Harry questioned, and when Luna nodded briefly, he sighed and looked back to the lake.

"Harry?" Luna said very quietly, almost hesitantly, and when she finally saw him peeking at her from the corner of his eye, she took his face in her hands. "Harry, they're going to have to figure it out on their own. You have to know this."

"Well, it's just funny. So many people taking bets on when they'd finally get together, and I didn't want to think about it. The three of us won't survive this and in the end I'll be lost and alone, yet again."

"Harry Potter, you are my friend too. I hope that you would know that I'd never abandon that post, nor would Neville for that matter. Ginny, I'll admit that I was somewhat disappointed after finding out the depths that she had gone through to attain your affection, however that was really potion induced. I will forgive you a moment of temporary insanity." She said with an absolutely.

"You're Ravenclaw through and through." Harry said with a grin.

"And you're a Slytherin hiding out in the Gryffindor Tower." She said beaming at her friend, and that smile grew brighter when she saw the mock look of Horror.

"How did you know that?" He asked, completely curious as to how she came to that determination.

"Well, realistically, you're one of the most cunning people I've ever met. For you, life has been hard with challenges, and not just at school but with your family at home as well."

"They're not really my family. They're related by blood, but that's all. Luna, how are you at divination."

"Well, Trelawney thinks I'm rubbish, however I know that is only because she is jealous of me because her gift is so passive and uncontrollable. I'm fairly spot on when reading people as far as their potential. Also, once I make a connection to someone, I sometimes know when they need me."

"Like with me, today?"

"Precisely. Harry, what Ginny did was a horrible mistake that could have had even more dire circumstances."

"Such as?"

"Well, Amortentia is somewhat like a liquid imperius curse. It's strips you of your free will and makes you feel for someone even if there was nothing there before. Unfortunately, for Ginny there was something there before, wasn't there Harry?"

"Truthfully, yes, I had noticed her before, but she had always been too shy to even talk to me, until last year. Then she was dating Michael and then Dean, I figured that she had gotten over her crush. Out of the blue she finds her voice and we have conversations every now and then, and I realized that she was nice when she wasn't dipping her elbow in butter or running from me."

"So that has to hurt, what she did, but at the same point it was an act of desperation."

"Luna, look, I know what you're trying to do, and while I can forgive Ginny for what she did, it doesn't change the fact that she did it, whatever the motivation." Harry stopped for a moment to gather his thoughts and while Luna was more than prepared for what she thought that was coming next. She remained pensive. "Do you know what she said to me after we broke up? She said that she knew that I wouldn't be happy unless I was chasing after Voldemort."

"How could you understand her?" Luna said with a knowing grin.

"What are you going on about?"

"Well, I was just curious on how you could understand her when she said that as she clearly had her trainer stuck in her mouth." She said which cause him to laugh out loud so much so that they toppled over, and Luna was lying atop his chest.

She stared deep in his eyes for what seemed forever. He could feel the smile on his face and realized that he hadn't felt happy, truly happy since he had taken her to Slughorn's party. She had a way with him that made him smile. She brought it out in him, and then his smile faltered when thinking that had probably been when Ginny had stepped up her use of the love potion. His smile faltered even more when he thought of the end of that date and realized that he never did properly give Luna her good night kiss.

"Harry, it does not do well to dwell on dreams of the past. We cannot change what has already come to pass." She said with her normally dreamy expression.

"Just thinking about our date." He said, with a little bit of a lost look in eyes.

"Well, it could have gone better, I admit. It probably would have gone better if you had properly kissed me at it's conclusion." She said, standing up and brushing herself free of leaves and grass. She reached down and he took her hand. She helped him up, as well.

"You're probably right." He said, looking at her now in a whole new light. "I hate to say it but I wish I had gotten the opportunity that I have had now in just this short amount of time to get to know you. I really do. You're a great friend, Luna." He said and she smiled a real and genuine smile that reached her eyes.

Harry walked up to her slowly, wrapped his arms around her, leaned in and placed a chaste kiss upon her lips. It lingered for what seemed to last forever, neither one deepening the kiss, however the emotion behind it was of utter honesty. Pulling back he looked at her, finally seeing the girl for who she was all along.

"Wow." They said together and them burst into gales of laughter.

"Luna, thank for today." Harry said, grabbing her hand. He interlaced his fingers with her, and then slowly the two of them walked back towards the castle. He used his thumb to carress the back of her hand and she mirrored his actions providing reassurances. Harry plucked up his courage. It hadn't been three hours of being single. "Luna?"

"Yes Harry." She said smiling at him.

"Well, you see…"

Harry, I believe I just gave you that answer."

"But…"

"Remember what I said about being able to read you?" She said, just a little warily.

"Yes." He said.

"Well, then, let's leave it as I would have been more than happy to pursue a relationship with someone whom I consider to be one of my very best friends, even though he fell to a nefarious plot concocted by one of my other friends to ensnare the boy who has never called me, nor thought of me as Loony Lovegood. A boy who has questioned the creatures I mention but not out of mockery but genuine curiosity."

"Luna, I would never…"

"I know, and that's why I am glad that you invited me to Professor Slughorn's party, and I'm very glad that, even though you were a bit late in delivering it, that your kiss was much better than Cho had described." She said looking at the mock disgust that colored his face at the mention of Cho. "Yes, that being said, I plan on writing to you during the summer, and should you want to look for some more diaries or other brick-a-brack with a piece of Tom Marvolo Riddle inside, I'd be more than happy to lend my Ravenclaw expertise."

"How did you…"

"Harry, Ginny has been one of my best friends for a very long time. We grew up no more than five kilometers apart and often home schooled together. She told me about the diary. She told me about Tom, and whom he is. It was obviously a Horcrux that was attempting to reactivate and re-embody the severed soul piece."

"Luna, where did you learn about Horcruxes, they're supposed to be obscure and the blackest of dark magic."

"Harry, there is no light and dark magic, there's only magic. What makes that magic light or dark is the intent of the castor. Surely you know that. As far as where I learned it, that's really quite simple." She said with a smile.

"You're doing that on purpose, now, aren't you?"

"Yes, sir." She said, deliberately delaying in her conveyance of truth. "The Room of Requirement is where I learned it. While you were busy with Ginny this year, I spent a lot of time there, studying and the room provided many books on the subjects that I was looking for. I had to get better, be better prepared should you need me again. I couldn't fail you again like with the department of mysteries so I've been training." She said with a look of utter determination in her eyes.

"And have you improved?"

"Vastly." She said, smiling at him. Care to try me out?" She said, wiggling her eyes brows at him, grinning ear to ear.

"On the honor of my friend, Luna Lovegood, I challenge you to a duel." Harry announced formally.

"I accept your challenge, dear sir. We shall negotiate the terms of the duel."

"What would you like, should you prove valiant, dear lady." He asked, watching her pensively. For a long moment she sat in silent contemplation, before a smile crept over her face.

"Another kiss, dear sir." She said, blushing slightly.

"I accept." He said, and then turned his back to her. They stood back to back. Counted out ten steps, and then turned to fire a spell. Unfortunately for Harry, Luna was quick, with a silent compulsion spell, Harry suddenly without forethought on the matter. "Legilimens!"

The world around him faded to nothing. For the longest time he was surround so completely and entirely that he didn't know if his was standing, sitting or kipping off. This seemed to last for an eternity, before the overwhelming darkness subsided. Slowly, the darkness transformed into a rather large room with wooden floors, with dark blue walls. There wasn't a stick of furniture in this room, however there were windows with white lace curtains. There were two doors. Harry walked quickly to one and opened it to reveal a closet with no clothes however there were hundreds upon hundreds clothes hangers. Confused he stepped back and walked across the room to the other door, wrenched it to reveal the same thing, a closet with hundreds of clothes hangers, however when reviewing the contents it dawned on him that this was the same closet. Looking across the room, he did so again, and again, feeling a sense of Closter phobia, before he could turn around he heard her voice.

"Welcome to my mind, Harry Potter." She said, and he whirled around to see Luna Lovegood standing in the center of the room.

"But…"

"Sorry, Harry, but you've already lost." She said, rather victoriously and with a huge smile pushed him out of her mind.

Harry's world became a flood of light, and rather awkwardly at that being suspended upside-down and bound in tight ropes. The blood had long since rushed to his head, and then he saw her. Luna approaching and she gently lowered him to the ground.

"Finite Incantatem." She said almost at a whisper, but still had the same effects.

"OK, I concede your victory my lady. You have bested me and your prize awaits." He said, with a bow of his head.

"First, why did you lose?" She asked curiously.

"I wasn't prepared for the mental assault."

"Correct, five points to Slytherin." She said smiling at him.

"Why do you keep going on about my being Slytherin," Harry asked plaintively, with just a hint of annoyance.

"Harry, I'm a natural Legilimens. I've seen your conversation with the Sorting hat and I'm sorry to say if it wasn't for Mr. Malfoy you would have been Slytherin, would you not agree."

"I'll concede to that point and offer a counter, that if you've seen the conversation in question, I could have very well ended up in your house or Hufflepuff, as well as my traits were prevalent for all houses, Alastor was only tossed between the two because he could sense my nervousness and due to my family being in Gryffindor for ages." Harry said in a mock Hermione tone, which did not go unnoticed.

"I have expected you to proceed your retort with an 'Honestly,' Mr. Potter."

"And I'm getting to like you more and more, the longer that we talk, and I thought we were heading back." Harry said, noticing that they had stopped and still had quite the way to go.

"Well, I have still to collect my prize." Luna said quietly, looking down and the still jointly clasped hands.

Harry was at a loss. He had only just broken up with Ginny, however acknowledging the falsity of the relationship in general. He was moving a bit fast. Looking at Luna rather nervously, he leaned down and brushed his lips gently against hers. What he didn't expect was that she wanted to deepen the kiss, and so when she parted her lips only slightly; allowing the tip of her tongue to brush gently against his lips, he instinctively open his own allowing her entrance.

Eyes shut, he didn't realize the passage of time, not that time existed at all. To be honest with himself, Luna' s kissing was so much more than what he expected, or what he had experiences with both Cho and Ginny. There were no tears, nor desperation, there was only the warmth that he felt surround and engulf him and a deep yearning for it to never stop.

Next he felt her hand, the only that wasn't still fimly clasped with his, snake up behind his head and gently carress his neck. He hopingly plucked up his Gryffindor pride and slipped his tongue into her mouth. It was warm and sweet with the taste of fruit juices that he couldn't describe, but not at all unpleasant.

He wrapped his free arm around her waste, stroking the small of her back with his thumb. The slight pressure that he used with it elicited a moan of agreement that the slight menstruation on his part was well placed and encouraging him to continue.

When they finally broke free of each other there was no panting, nor deep-seeded lust swelling in their eyes, but rather an acceptance and acknowledgement that this was something that the two of them, mutually wished to both continue to do.

"Wow!" Harry exclaimed looking at Luna incredulously.

"Indeed. You're an excellent kisser, Harry, I may wish to keep you." She said, beamingly as the smile on her faced was surpassed only by the joy that he could see in her eyes.

"Why didn't we do this earlier?" Harry wondered aloud.

"Ginny drugged you with Amortentia, and you failed to give me a proper good night kiss on our one date." She said, plainly, however not losing the look of contentment provided Harry the reassurance that she wasn't angry as they got to the point where they should be anyhow.

"Oh, yeah." He said, with a grin. "Well, I do hope you don't intend to make me stop."

"No, I suppose we can have a few more duels with prizes proclaimed prior to commencement." Luna said with a devilish glint in her eyes that spoke of knowledge through suffrage.

"You do know that you are brilliantly scary, right?" Harry said with mock fear.

"Be afraid, be very afraid." She said, scrunching up her face, before giggling and putting her head on his shoulder.

"Tell me something?"

"Does your dad really take you to search for the Crumpled-horned Snorkacks?"

"Are you mocking me, Mr. Potter?"

"No, honestly curious." Harry said, with a look showing that he genuinely wanted to know.

"Daddy didn't take mummy's death well at all Harry. She was very dear to him and they were soul mates, which is a rarity. Daddy internalized a lot of things and ended up losing his job at the Department of Mysteries. He was well compensated and started the paper. He took mummy's creatures literally I'm afraid and while a lot of them that I tell you about aren't quite real, nargles are only visible with Fae sight, for example and are quite real. Snorkacks, I'm afraid have not been sighted in quite some time and are believed to be extinct altogether. However, I digress. Yes, we do go searching for them." She finally finished, looking him directly in the eye as if to question him.

"Well, it sounds like loads of fun going on those hunts. You know, with the exception of here, I've not really been to anywhere other than much." He finished off, with a dreamy look of his own that didn't go unnoticed.

"You really hate it there, don't you Harry?"

"Well, it wouldn't be so bad if my uncle wasn't so horrible. My aunt hardly whatsoever except for addressing which chores I should complete. There's never been a time when I have even been addressed by name. So, to say that I hate it there wouldn't been appropriate. It's just a house. I will not miss them, after this summer."

"Well, saying I'm sorry doesn't quite touch what I want to say. I know that you don't deserve that. You're a good person to spite there efforts, and I; for one, am glad that you are you."

This had an effect on Harry that he couldn't quite put into words. She liked him for him. She did not the bloody boy-who-lived-to-annoy-he-who-looks-like-a-snake. She didn't see him as the fan girls did, and she was honest.

He looked at her now, truly. He felt honored that Luna had decided to come out here today. He was shown a side of her that she had taken precious care to hide from the whole world. She was truly beautiful, with her straight golden blonde hair and eyes the color of a clear summer sky. The eyes that were looking deep into his own and understanding his thoughts without having the need to voice them.


	2. Sufferance

**Sufferance**

As the two of them entered through the main door of the castle, both, Harry and Luna were not prepared to be welcomed by Luna's head of house, whom grinned wide enough to confuse him with a goblin upon seeing the smiles on their faces and their hands interlinked. Harry looked taken aback for a moment, but didn't even consider relinquishing hold of Luna.

"Mr. Potter, Ms. Lovegood, the Headmistress has requested a meeting with you upon your immediate return to the castle. The password has been changed temporarily to honor Albus. Lemon drop?" He said, and walked toward the direction of Ravenclaw Tower. Harry and Luna watched the short-stature professor walk off merrily and just before he was about out of site he turned quickly. "Mr. Potter, remember to state the password as if it were a question, the Headmistress was most specific about that. Good evening," he said merrily before turning the corner out of sight.

Walking to the headmistress' office proved to take all of five minutes and upon knocking on the exterior of the door, they were just able to hear some muffled arguments. This was immediately followed by some scurrying around.

"Enter." They heard the headmistress say from behind the door.

Cautiously Harry and Luna both entered crossed the room and took a seat in the two proffered seats in front of the headmistress' desk. Once sitting, Harry looked up and caught sight of a faint smile across the visage of Minerva McGonagall's face, which he could not quite place where he'd seen her like that. It was if a very far away dream, long ago.

"You wanted to see us, Professor." Harry said, clearly still deep in thought about her smile.

"Yes, Mr. Potter. It has come to my attention the actions of Miss Weasley against you, and was curious as to how to proceed. I wish to discuss this with you, amongst other topics before you everyone leaves tomorrow for summer holiday."

"And what would be the other topics that you wish to discuss, Headmistress?" Harry asked, nervously, and Luna sensing this gently squeezed his hand.

Minerva McGonagall took out a small polished cherry wooden box and placed it in front of Harry on her desk. Harry careful took the box, running his hand over the smooth surface. He then slowly opened the box to reveal a gold Signet Ring with a very unusual stone.

"It's a blood stone, Mr. Potter, and as you can see the veins of red formed what appears to be a griffin."

"What aren't you telling me, Headmistress?" Harry asked getting more and more nervous.

"Harry, after Godric Gryffindor was forced to take the life of his best friend, Salazar Slytherin, he left Hogwarts, leaving it in the charge of Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff. It is said that he wasn't heard of again by the wizarding world. However," Minerva sighed deeply realizing that this was something that Albus should have both told and prepared him for long before now. "He changed his surname to Potter."

"Bloody hell." Harry said, slumping in the chair. Then he thought about it. He thought about what had happened to his parents and what had happened each and every year that he was at Hogwarts. It made sense that Voldemort would come for him. It made sense that Voldemort would seek out revenge for what had happened to his ancestor. "Is this something that should be public knowledge?"

"Unfortunately, it was well documented that the Potters were heirs of Gryffindor. They long held seats on the Wizengamot and had always been prominent in Wizarding society."

"Headmistress, thank you for giving me the ring, but I'm still afraid I don't know why it would be pertinent to give it to me at this point."

"Harry, with Albus gone…" She stopped, turned and looked at the sleeping portrait of Albus Dumbledore, and then turning to look at the sixteen year old boy who was forced into adulthood far too soon. She had warned Albus, and he hadn't listened. "With him gone, the world will look to you as a leader."

"I don't want that, I'm not a leader…"

"Mister Potter you most certainly are. Who led your DA?"

"Hermione, Ron and I led the DA."

"I think that you give your friends too much credit. While I will concede that they helped you at each and every turn, the remaining members of that group flocked there because of you. You're a natural leader Harry. Look, I'm sorry that this falls to you, and if you need any assistance, I'm more than happy to lend it but you will lead the wizarding world down the path that it is meant to go. How you handle that leadership will directly impact the results of this ensuing conflict."

"Was that all?" Harry asked, rudely.

"The Board of Governors is threatening to keep the school closed after this terms conclusion. With you as heir apparent for the House of Gryffindor it is within your power to influence them. There will be a meeting in two weeks time which will require the presence of Miss Lovegood as heir of Ravenclaw, and Miss Susan Bones as the last heir of Hufflepuff and you, Mr. Potter. I've already talked with Ms. Bones and she assures me that she is for the school re-opening." Harry, having heard this looked confused in Luna's direction, who was sitting there with her standard dreamy expression.

"Did you know about being Rowena's heir, Luna?" Harry asked puzzled. Noting that when asking her the question her expression didn't change, however she did look him directly in the eye and nodded slightly with a smile. Harry sighed, looking back at the headmistress, and nodded himself, before taking his ring and placing in on the middle finger of his left hand.

"_Ah, Harry James, Heir of Gryffindor, at last you've found me again!" _A voice was heard by Harry and Harry alone.

"What the…" Harry exclaimed, standing up abruptly.

"_Not aloud, Mr. Potter. Never aloud. We will talk later, but rest assured that I will help you." The ethereal male voice said._

"_You can hear my thoughts," _Harry questions a little nervous having his thoughts drift to the events of second year and to that of the diary of Tom Marvolo Riddle.

"_Of course I can, but at this very moment, Mr. Potter you have two ladies looking at you quite incredulously, and I would only assume questioning your sanity. Make no mention of me, as its knowledge is Gryffindor's only, I'm afraid."_

"_But, Minerva's headmistress of Hogwarts and was Head of Gryffindor house to boot." _Harry thought was a reasonable counter.

"_It's not for her to know, I'm afraid, but rest assured that all will become apparent, shortly, Harry. I will answer all of your questions."_

"_You had better." _

"Mr. Potter, are you alright? Do you need to go to the hospital wing?"

"I'm fine, Headmistress. I can only assume that what happened after I put the ring on was normal." Harry asked suddenly.

"Quite normal, in fact, I remember that your father had the same reaction, himself, when he assumed the ring from his dad."

"I don't mean any disrespect, Headmistress, but would you mind terribly if I asked you a couple of questions that I find myself not really having any answers to?"

"Most certainly, Mr. Potter." She said with a tight lipped smile.

"Well I'm curious as to whether or not Professor Dumbledore shared the prophecy with you," Harry said, and judging by her reaction already knew that the answer was no. "Well then, let's get to it. You're a member of the order after all, and have no affiliations with Death eaters, well, with Snape gone now anyway."

At that very moment, Harry noticed something in the corner. The painting of Professor Dumbledore stirred. It was obvious now that the hushed conversation that he had overheard was an argument of sorts between the headmistress and former headmaster.

"Harry, my boy, I must protest. You must not reveal the knowledge that you hold."

"With all due respect, Headmaster… Oops, sorry, you no longer are acting in the capacity. Albus, she deserves to know the prophecy, and frankly since you're awake now, you can help answer some of these questions, as well. The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches, born as the seventh month dies, born to those that have thrice defied him, and the Dark Lord shall mark him as an equal but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not, and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives. The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches, born as the seventh month dies. Headmistress, this was revealed to me after we returned from the Department of Mysteries a year ago, however Albus here has known of this so called prophecy for nearly eighteen years. Since before I was born. This was also the reason while he hired Professor Trelawney in the first place. Sure she gives a real hum-dinger of a prophecy every once in a while, but for the most part, I doubt that she has any real divination experience whatsoever. That and she always carries the lingering scent of Sherry."

"Albus, I believe you have some explaining to do."

"I will do nothing of the sort."

"Headmistress, if I may continue?" Harry asked patiently.

"Of course, Mr. Potter." Minerva said, slightly shaken by what the boy had said so far.

"Well, then you have the whole sending me off to live with the Muggles. My relatives, which by all means are really the worst sort of Muggles I've ever had the misfortune of meeting, and they despise anything whatsoever to do with magic. They sheltered me in a cupboard, which was right underneath the stairs. In fact, my letter inviting me to attend Hogwarts was addressed to Harry Potter, the cupboard under the stairs number four Privett Drive. I have to question, whom addresses these letters as they are to be sent out, and since there were so many of them that had been sent why anyone in the magical community with knowledge of a boy who lived in a cupboard, to not only find that rather odd, but even bother to check up on said boy at all? I however, recognized a few people now and then whom stared rather oddly at some of the few times which I was allowed to roam about Surrey, and still my question which I never asked has gone unanswered."

"Mr. Potter, while I was present at the time that you were left at the Dursleys, I had argued the point with Albus vehemently against sending you there, but as always, he simply said that it was for the greater good."

"Well, Headmistress, my counter point since coming into the wizarding world, is that since October 31st 1980 there had been days to follow where there were parties and celebrations and dancing in the streets even at the downfall and demise of the Dark Lord. Since it was for the greater good, why wasn't I taken to a wizarding family to have a proper upbringing since the Dark Lord was supposedly dead? And, as we know since he wasn't actually dead, but disembodied, if I'm supposed to be the savior of the wizarding world why has my training been so lax. Why have I had one incompetent defense teacher after another? To be bold, why haven't I been in training from the time I could walk and hold a wand to fight in this ongoing war?"

"Harry, you needed a normal childhood…" Albus started but was immediately interrupted.

"I've had anything but that, unless your idea, which would probably be Tom Riddle's idea of a normal childhood, is abuse, neglect and torture!"

"Albus, Mr. Potter raises some very distressing concerns. I believe that you and I will be having further discussions in private in regards to this very matter, Albus, and I can assure you if the answers will not be forthcoming your frame will find its way into that very hearth." She said pointing a shaky hand at the fireplace.

"Headmistress?" Harry asked quietly, before turning and seeing the complete and utter rage that was welling up behind Luna's eyes. He had never seen her mad before and frankly it was a little frightening, especially after she handed him his butt earlier today. Upon looking back a Headmistress McGonagall and acknowledging that he had once again gained her attention. "I do have more questions, but I don't want to get to my school just yet, let's back up. My parents went under the Fidelus charm due to rumors that The Dark Lord would be coming after them due to me. Who cast the Fidelus charm?"

"I did." Albus said angrily.

"FINE!" Harry said, anger pushing from within him to the point where he could hardly see straight. "Why the bloody hell did you send Sirius to Azkaban, when you bloody well knew that he wasn't the secret keeper? Why did you not search for Peter Pettigrew when he obviously was the secret keeper?"

"Harry, Sirius would have been a bad influence for you and then there were the blood protections to consider."

"Bullocks!" Harry screamed now at the top of his lungs. "If I were to consider having a blood test done, I'm almost certain that Petunia Evans Dursley is no relation of mine. She doesn't even look like mum, or me, but then I favor dad. Albus, it's time to give it up. You're dead. You've kicked the bucket, shuffled off this mortal coil, and most assuredly assumed room temperature. There isn't anything else in it for you. You're living your next great adventure. However, while I have done my very best to learn how to protect myself magically, you're constant sending me back with my alleged relatives destroys any physical progress that I have made due to starvation, and frankly I'm at my wits ends about it. I don't know where you dug up that lot of losers whom you decided in your infinite wisdom to dump me off on, but I've had enough."

"Harry my boy…"

"I'm not your boy or your man, not anymore and I doubt I was to begin with. More likely just another pawn on your giant chess board. Speaking of witch, let's talk about first year and the fact that I am more sure than not that the entire ordeal with the Philosopher's Stone was nothing more than one giant test for us. The obstacles that were guarding the stone certainly were not put together with a mindset to keep a fully trained wizard, let alone a dark wizard out when three firsties could get through relatively undamaged. I say relatively because I had to take out a Riddle-possessed Quirrell and barely made it out with my life. Second year, another test, as I'm in the Chamber of Secrets who should come to my aid but Fawkes. Phoenixes tears have healing properties and they are able to carry huge weights on them, however instead of bringing help or even Albus Dumbledore himself, I get, sorry," Harry said looking at the sorting hat that just winked at him if it were possible. "A musty old hat and the Sword of Gryffindor." No aid and I am forced to battle Tom Marvolo Riddle for a third time and win, still relatively untrained because we had that Lockhart fraud."

Harry took a deep breath. He was starting to feel winded but at the same time he knew that he needed to get this off of his chest. Its weight and burden were enough to stifle anyone. Looking at Luna now, he leaned in and gently brushed his lips against hers in a chaste kiss which brought a smile to both of them. Taking another deep breath, he looked back at Minerva McGonagall. He smiled for a moment, before getting his train of thought back.

"Third year. Sirius escapes. Thanks to your revelation, Albus, we know that you knew he was innocent all along, however, I get the only person worth a damn as a defense teacher, one that teaches me successfully how to form a corporeal Patronus Charm. With that charm I was able to fight off, successfully, over one hundred dementors. We make progress, but at the same time, I come across the man whom led the Dick Load or He-whom-should-have-run-down-mummy's-leg to Godric's Hollow and we loose him because of your pet Death Eater without a leash. Before you go on about him being on our side let me point out that I watched him kill you, Albus." Harry said, pausing as if waiting for a retort, and when none came, Harry decided to move on. "Fourth year was the worst. I lost one friend because he was jealous and thought that I went behind his back, putting my name into the goblet of fire. Of course we now know that it was Barty Crouch Jr. whom had done it all along. I never did understand how you could allow a death eater to teach here, with Snape, but Mad-Eye Moody is or was supposed to be you life-long friend Albus. This was the worst, because in losing Ron's friendship for most of the year, I became rather found of Cedric. He was a nice boy that didn't deserve to die like that, however the true champion that he was died defending me and for that I will be eternally grateful. Fourth year and fourth time that I faced Tom Marvolo Riddle and survived, however the biggest disappointment was in how you dismissed my seeing my parents during the Priori Incantatem." Harry lifted his hand that was still intertwined with Luna's, and kissed the back of it. "Luna, I'd like to pace a bit." He said with a small smile, releasing her hand.

"Harry, I'm sure that there is nothing that I can say or do to convince you but you must understand that everything that I did had a purpose and that purpose was to aid you in getting things done right. It was, after all, for the greater good…"

"Shut it, you!" Harry noticed that the things that he had destroyed during the climax of fifth year were still in the office. Headmistress McGonagall had only been using the office as an interim Headmistress capacity. Those items began to levitate without incantation. "FIFTH YEAR WAS YOUR GREATEST OFFENSE."

"NOW SEE HERE!!!" Albus yelled himself, and at that the floating object collided with his canvas, scraping a bit of paint off here any there before clattering to the floor.

"Deloris Umbridge was a worthless excuse for a teacher, and as Headmaster it was up to you to make appointments. Hogwarts is a school for Witchcraft and Wizardry and a privately own and run school at that. You weren't acting with the schools; nor the students, best interest whatsoever. You allowed that squatty toad to torture me by doing nothing at all, and what's more, you allowed Severus Snape to mind rape my under the guise of remedial potions. You allowed a death eater, pet as he were, to repeated rummage in my mind, and make the visions provided by his Dick Load to lead me to the Department of Mysteries where I had a front row seat in watching him fly stunned through the Veil and then the idiot attempted to possess me. The only thing that was even somewhat productive was the DA, and at this point, Headmistress, I'd like to request that the DA be formally called the Defense Association and never again referred to as Dumbledore's Army. That sort of vanity led a very manipulative old man to his grave rather the path to being looked upon as this generation's version of Merlin himself. You, Albus, were never omnipotent. There have always been equal and opposite reactions to everything that you do. In fact, if I were to hazard a guess, you've ensured that Tom Riddle and I have mirrored pasts. Would it be too far of a stretch to assume that had you suggested it that Headmaster Dippet would have allowed Tom to stay at the castle in some sort of apprentice relationship?"

"You are indeed correct there, Mr. Potter," Headmistress McGonagall finally said, looking pensively at the image of Albus Dumbledore. She saw Albus clearly wince at the withering look she graced him with. She then turned and faced her favorite Gryffindor, and seeing that he was very visibly upset with the situation. "Harry, may I ask you a question of my own?"

"Yes Headmistress."

"What brought this on, today? What really brought it all on?"

"After the funeral I had a conversation with Ginny, in which, she made a rather blunt comment. She said that I wouldn't be happy unless I was chasing after Voldemort, which made me rather mad. I confronted her about it an hour later and during that time she revealed to me her use of Amortentia on myself for the past few months, in fact. The obvious repercussion of its use was that the romantic relationship that we were briefly involved in was staged by an obvious fan-girl whom really never took the time to get to know me, nor took my feelings into consideration whatsoever prior to putting her plan into action. She already had a built-up image of who she thought that I was. Then, I began to question a lot more things and wonder why I hadn't questioned them before. I began to question each and every thing." Harry took a deep breath at this point, looking at Luna, "Then a friend came and sat with me, and I realized that I hadn't been the only one to suffer. I had taken this friend on a date prior to the potion, and I hadn't shown her a proper conclusion to that evening, and although some people like to pick on her because she's unusual or unconventional, she's really amazing and likes me for who I am, not what I am. That was a big difference in my eyes, Headmistress. I had questions, and she was willing to listen and attempt to answer the ones that she could. But I needed some answers from other sources so I chose to seek you out, and thankfully Albus' portrait came to its senses or alleviated it ruse of feigning sleep. I have some answers, but as each question is answered I find that it leads to more and more questions. The headmaster gave me a load of bull about the power I know that Tom doesn't is Love. I had a crush on Cho, I've been drugged and snogged senseless by Ginny, and while I feel a certain depth of friendship for Ron and Hermione, Neville and Luna, I've never been exposed to any kind of love. I'm not saying this for pity sake, but more stating the obvious. I know about as much about love as Tom Riddle does. So how is this a great power, unless Albus was lying about that power in the hopes that I would go into battle blindly in the hopes that we take each other out in the process. I don't that, as well, however knowing some new answers, as with my parents and the Fidelus, I really am questioning the motivations of my MENTOR." He finished looking at the portrait as he spat out the last word.

He finished pacing the office and came to sit back down next to Luna. He looked her directly in the eye and when they made eye contact he could see the hopeful look in her eye still there, but he had watched her during his rant. He could tell that she had been thinking hard on each point and counterpoint.

"Headmistress, Professor Dumbledore and I spent a great deal of time alone last year discussing key points and milestones in the life of Tom Riddle. One of the things that you need to be aware of is that Tom created approximately six Horcruxes. Do you know what a Horcrux is?" Harry asked.

"I'm afraid I'm at a loss. Care to enlightening me, Mr. Potter?"

A horcruxes is the imbuing of an inanimate object with a severed piece of one's soul through ritual followed by a murder. I'm not sure of the particulars, but in essence he did this six times as a pursuit towards immortality. I was considering at one point not returning to school this year…"

"Harry you have to return it is of the utmost importance that you are here, if not, I'm afraid that our pursuits towards the reopening of the school will be in vain and it will indeed remain closed."

"Headmistress, I am sorry to inform you," Harry started and them paused, giving her a moment to stew in his words."

"Was considering." She said, smiling gently at him.

"Yes, but with what you said earlier about the problems with the school I will be here, however Luna and I will be doing some intensive training and may require to be on the grounds over the summer. In addition, we're going to need to have every member of the order that has been currently watching me in rotation to be on permanent duties guarding myself, Luna, The Weasley's, Neville and Hermione. This isn't up for discussion or debate. Tom will find a way to strike out at me, I know it and I have a feeling he will single out the Department of Mysteries group and all those related to us as high priority targets."

"That makes sense." The Headmistress conceded.

"Also, I think that the same core group needs to be either inducted into the order, or that an order liaison needs to be important to our group as a point of contact for full disclosure as to what is going on with Tom and his Death Eaters. In addition I would prefer Tonks, Mad-Eye or Kingsley on my detail. If we're going to be training this summer it would be highly advantageous to have a trained Auror on the scene."

You make a good point, and the liaison idea bears merit. I think that will definitely being a working idea that even Molly would agree with." The Headmistress said almost happily.

Looking at Miss Lovegood she could see that this relationship between the two of them was something that would soon rival the relationship that she had seen between Harry's parents. Luna was a force in and of her self when tasked with completing a task. While most of the students saw her as flighty, the assignments that she generated were nothing short of brilliant with their theory and attention to detail. Even though she had only just completed her OWLs, Minerva knew that Luna's scores were all O's, just like Miss Granger.

"Miss Lovegood, during this whole time you've remained quite quiet. Could you please tell me you thoughts on the present situation with our Mr. Potter?"

"Well, I think that Harry has been in one test after another. His first test lasted nearly ten years in having to put up with that family he had been forced to put up with at the Headmaster's whim. Second, I believe that this whole thing hasn't really shown much of an effort as a chess match with pawns, bishops, knights, rooks, king and queen, but more a pissing in the wind contest between Albus and Mr. Riddle while we've been staring incredulously with mouths agape wondering what that salty taste is. It's all in bad taste. Harry hadn't deserved any of it. Also, I think that the house system is ridged to such a degree as you have a post labeling system that works well after graduation. Slytherins stick with Slytherin, Gryffindors will tolerate just about anyone with the exception of people from that house. Finally, Harry's spot on in regards to dumbing down the students with no quality as far as defense professors go. Defense against the dark arts always left me with one question, though."

"What's that, Miss Lovegood." The headmistress inquired genuinely curious as to her course of action.

"What ever happened to Offense against the Dark Arts? Where are the truly offensive spells that we can use when dealing with dark wizards? It certainly not taught here. The most that we have here is Stupefy and Reducto, with some mild curses to impend, but nothing to truly stop your attacker. We're at war, you know! The purpose when faced with a force hell bent on war is to kill people and break things. The objective is to win. We're stunning the enemy while the enemy is enervating their comrades and throwing around the Avada Kedavra spell. In circumstances like this the only clear winner in a war fought like this would be the Death Eaters every time, especially if they increase their numbers. We're doomed to fail without an offense, and placing our hopes and prayers and future in the hands of a fifteen month old baby isn't going to work this time. This isn't a formal duel where we slap the offender with a pressed silk glove gingerly across their cheeks, start back to back, walking ten paces and fight with honor. Honor is for the dead. I will honor my mum for the rest of my life, much like Harry will honor his family, but should I come across Bellatrix Lestrange I will fight to win, honor be damned." The whole time Luna showed herself to be a young woman of determination, and when she had finished she had been reasonably certain that she had said everything that she wanted about that, she looked up at the headmistress and said as a side-note. "Once Harry asks and gets permission to court me, we're going to go hunting for Snorkacks. It'll be fun!" Said Luna beaming brightly.

"Mr. Potter, you move pretty fast. I hope that I'm not seeing shades of a Marauder here." Minerva chided.

"Luna was the only honest date that I had ever had. She is kind and truthful, and sees me for me. Plus she's really cute when she smiles like that. I have fun with her, and I wouldn't mind a nice Snorkack hunt."

"Well, if you'll excuse me, I do know that dinner will be served shortly. I will call an order meeting together and will have Tonks get back with you as far as a liaison goes."

"Good evening, then." Harry said, taking Luna's hand within his, again, and made their way out the door.

Luna stopped Harry before entering the Great Hall. She had been fine up until now, but things would be in public. She would be that center stage, with Harry. That wasn't so bad. Death Eaters she could deal with, and had dealt with in the past. Should she and Harry come across Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy along the way, so much the better.

Luna looked at Harry, now. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze, and once again, the stern look on his face was replaced by a warm reassuring one. She leaned up, he leaned down, and their lips came together again, however the kiss was anything but chaste. She opened her mouth to him. At first Harry kissed gently on her bottom lip, before delving beyond the entrance of her mouth and their tongues slowly touched as their mouths sealed to one another. Again it wasn't about lust, but a solemn vow to the honesty of their relationship.

At the crest of the kiss, unfortunately for the two the Great Hall doors opened showing the two of them wound together. The gasps were followed immediately be a shriek which could only be from Ginevra Molly Weasley, which was immediate followed by two words.

"Bloody Hell!"


	3. Intolerance

**Intolerance**

Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall in silent contemplation. This is something that she had found herself doing a lot this year, and now the year was almost over. Tomorrow, she would get onto the Hogwart's Express with the destination of home. She had missed her parents horribly as the year drew closer and closer to an end. She found herself thinking about them as a prelude to drifting off to sleep each night.

Hermione Granger had to face facts. She loved being a witch. It was something that made her uniquely herself. She loved being at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as it, in part, helped shape, mold and define who she was as both a woman and a witch. She made her very first and best friends at Hogwarts, she reaffirmed to herself. However, Hermione had to rationalized, finally, that she hadn't been much of a very best friend to at least one of the two boys in her life, Harry James Potter.

There really wasn't much that she could do about that at the moment. Harry had told her over and over again that Malfoy was up to something, however, his complaints about the intentions of the Blonde Ferret-resembling Slytherin went unanswered and therefore there was no pursuit by the Trio. Hermione had all but abandoned her friend and for the lowest of reasons, Snape's sixth year potions book. She had spent sixth year rather bitter and cold towards Harry and for all intents and purposes nagged her once very best friend to the point to where he wanted to do anything else and to do it outside of being within her presence.

She had tried to talk to him after the Headmaster's funeral, but all she received were half-muttered acknowledgements of her existence and a complete lack of participation in anything that resembled a cognitive attempt to maintain the conversation and to her disappointment the speech which she had spent all evening rehearsing for just that moment went unused. Finally, after seeing that Harry hadn't paid attention to anything that she had said, she fell back into the familiar behavior of feeling put off, and it angered her.

It angered her even now that she couldn't get a hold of her resentment of him. She couldn't even identify why it was there and what she could do to move past it. It angered her further that Ronald, her boyfriend, had no inclination about this resentment; or if he did, he didn't seem to need nor want to seek her help to get past it. Ronald had been fine with the fact that Harry wasn't around much as it allowed him the opportunity to get to know Hermione more so that he had the previous five years.

Ronald had done nothing more than kiss her, however he had been rather enthusiastic about it and she was pleased with his, if not sloppy, attempts at making it a pleasing experience. Of course they still fought; argued and bickered throughout the year, because that had been the dynamic of there relationship and what had caused her to not only notice him as a person, but realize that if he could be this passionate about his arguments then perhaps the thought of Ronald in more amorous setting might just prove fruitful.

Finally, that was what had won in the end. Ronald in blind self-debate about his feelings for Hermione finally plucked up what little courage that he did have and with his huge wounded Gryffindor pride made that leap of faith and planted one on her, but good. They had been together ever since, and while they still argued constantly it was less aggressive and accompanied by sessions of advanced snogging.

Now, here she was, sitting at the Gryffindor table, pushing around the mashed potatoes that accompanied her Shepherd's Pie, deep in thought. She found, now that she was dating Ronald formally, that this would be her quiet time. If she didn't ask questions while at the dinner table, Ronald didn't mind as his favorite pastime, his truest passion in what made his life his and nobody else's, was sitting at the table, eating.

It was at this point that she noticed that Marietta Edgecombe got up from the Ravenclaw table, gave her a glare that would normally left her unaffected, but in retrospect, she did feel that the reason for the animosity was her punishment for revealing the existence of the DA to Professor Umbridge.

She allowed her eyes to follow the Ravenclaw as she walked towards the massive doors that provided entry to the Great Hall. That's when she saw them, Harry and Luna in a passionate embrace. She couldn't believe her eyes and hoped that no one else would see them, but as they broke slowly apart, she couldn't quite come to terms with the look that was in Harry's eyes as he gazed lovingly into the eyes of Luna Lovegood.

At first it was the shock of the whole situation. Of course, she remembered that Harry had taken Luna to Professor Slughorn's party. That combined with the admission from Ginny that she had used the Amortentia potion because she could see that Harry would have easily ended up with Luna. He had never been mean towards Luna. The word Loony, to describe her never came out of his mouth and Hermione was of the firm contention that Harry never even thought the word when talking about his friend. She was that, his friend and Harry James Potter was almost completely Hufflepuff when it came to his friends.

That had been Hermione's brief refuge. She didn't understand what the big deal was, but then she saw it. His eyes, his smile radiated in them to such an extent that it was undeniable. Harry James Potter, her very best friend had never in the time that she knew him been this deliriously happy. Not even flying compared to the look he had in his eyes at the moment he pulled back from that kiss he had shared at the entry-way to the Great Hall.

Hermione Granger felt a pang of jealous, but not for Luna or for Harry, but at having a love like that in her life. It was instantly clear and obvious by the look in both of their eyes that they were in love with one another. She had Ron, of course, but to look at Harry as he looks at Luna she could see the peace, the happiness and the utter bliss in his eyes. She didn't have that with Ronald Weasley, and so at that moment she began to question him.

Hermione knew what love was and is. She had lived with her parents for eleven years and eleven months and twelve days in their daily presence and the one thing that you had to know about her parents was that they were deeply, hopelessly heads over heels in love with one another and to Hermione's shock and horror had been completely and utterly depressed when she learned; not only how to cast a silencing spell but the fact that underage witches were not permitted to perform magic away from school until they reached the age of seventeen.

She was brought out of her musing by a shriek, and when she looked up towards the direction from where said shriek came, she saw Ginevra Molly Weasley staring where Hermione's own had just vacated. She saw the look of horror, and sadness that quickly turned towards that of bitter revenge. She quickly brushed off her robes, stood up, and quickly took her wand in her hand.

"Bloody hell!" Ron said loudly but as Hermione checked him, his eyes were looking wearily at his own sister. The look of confusion muddled in his crisp blue eyes until he saw, the couple in the entry-way split apart. He watched as Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood walked with idiot-love looks on their faces with slight enflamed lips from their obvious snogging. He started to get up, but felt Hermione's hand embrace his should, beckoning him not to move.

"Stupefy!" The short anger-enraged redhead shouted and Hermione watched in horror as the beam made straight for Luna. Luckily, however, Harry saw the redhead from the corner of his eyes, lunged for Luna and pulled her out of the way, but unfortunately the moment caused the two to crash to the floor.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THAT… THAT SCARLET WOMAN!!!" Ginny ranted.

It was at this point that Harry realized that he had landed rather unceremoniously atop his new girlfriend, and while she was warm and squishy up underneath him, when he looked into her eyes he found a fire burning brightly behind her eyes. So much anger in one person that was just waiting, wanting, to be released was inside the very girl he loved. Quickly, he grabbed her chin, and forced her to look up into his eyes. When she did this, the anger slowly ebbed away until she was calm and rational again.

"I'm not scarlet, I'm a blonde." Luna said monotonely, before looking at the shorter angry redhead. A smirk formed on her lips before she finished her response. "Scarlet is a tone of red, which, and should all present cast a vote, due to your actions and usage of Amortentia; a love potion, Miss Weasley, you would qualify and quantify that title much more easily than I."

"Listen…" Ginny started, but was immediately cut off by Luna.

"I think that we've done enough listening to you, if you don't mind. I think that it's you who should do some listening. You, Ronald, and yes Hermione as well needs to do some listening. Listen to other people. Listen to them and then ask questions. Talk to them," She said looking directly towards Hermione this time, "Not down to them. It's much easier that way to get to know someone, you know. How do you quantify a fifteen month old baby into the Hero of the Wizarding world? What does any fifteen month old know about magic anyhow? He doesn't, and didn't yet you, Ginevra have idolized him from a very… very young age. We all know that the Potters were well thought of in the community and well respected as well. Harry is a person, but you were so enamored with your thoughts of a white knight that the person himself be damned. He could have been a poof." She said and everyone in the hall gasped at the thought of this. "I assure you he is not that, but any case you just don't listen. You didn't try to listen. You never listen, and had you had plucked up what you know of Gryffindor courage you may have actually gotten to know Harry, and put your whole Boy-who-lived to rest. Harry is a good and kind boy, whom I will tell you now is the ONLY one whom I know of who hasn't referred to me as LOONY…" She paused her head lurched upward and her voice became that of the ether. "THE ONE WHO WAS CHOSEN SHALL HAVE TO CHOOSE HIS ALLIES… THE BATTLE FOR A MEANS TO AN END DRAWS NEAR…THE DARKNESS LIES IN FIVE PARTS RIPPED FROM THE LORD. THESE PIECES MUST BE GATHERED AND COLLECTED INTACT… THESE PIECES DEVOURED BEFORE THE DARKNESS CONSUMES US ALL… THE ONE WHO WAS CHOSEN SHALL HAVE TO CHOOSE HIS ALLIES…" Luna finished before collapsing to the ground, falling into Harry's arms. He looked down as his now unconscious girlfriend. His eyes were glistening with tears which unfortunately for his so called friends they mistook for heart break and sorrow.

"Harry…" Hermione started but when she caught his eyes she stopped dead to right. She found that she just couldn't muster a single solitary word as the words would be meaningless.

"Listen mate…" Ron too had attempted and failed as his Avada-colored eyes locked with him as well. He felt the judgment there and felt that the sentence pronounced wasn't in his favor.

"The chosen one will have to choose. Did you hear her?" He asked at almost a whisper.

"Yes, I did." Ginny said quickly, the bitterness still present in her voice.

"Well, I bloody well didn't choose you so leave me alone. If I never ever have to have words with you again and I live to be two hundred years old I would color myself a happy person. If your mother or your father has condoned your behavior in what you attempted to do to me this year then the same goes for them, as well." He said with a finality in his voice that meant he didn't want a response.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER HOW DARE YOU!" Hermione just managed to blurt out with a complete speech already prepared.

"Listen, Hermione, I have been your friend for six years. I've usually listened to whatever it was that you wanted or intended to say but now is really not the time."

"Now is the perfect time, now that you seem to be cutting off your friends…"

"She wasn't my friend. Friends don't poison one another with potions to make them act ways which they normally wouldn't, now, do they Hermione."

"But…"

"No, there's no continuation here. You need to make a choice, yourself. You stand with a boyfriend and his family. Hell, they may even be your family some day if things go well for you. They are not my family. You see, Tom Riddle went through with some real effort in killing off my family and I'm it, the last of the line of Potter. You have been my very best friend for six years Hermione and you need to decide if it's salvageable. After this year, I honestly don't know if it is." He finished as he felt Luna began to stir. He looked down at the girl he held and smiled softly at her.

"Um, what happened?" She managed to say rather meekly.

"You gave a prophecy." He said, "are you feeling ok, luv?"

Smiling at the nickname, she only nodded and allowed him to help her up. They sat down at the Ravenclaw table, which annoyed Cho Chang so much that she stood up, and ran from the hall, still very upset after his actions the previous year. They ate rather quickly without so much as a word from anyone else at the table. Every now and then Harry would look over at some of the other tables. He received smiles from Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott.

An utterly brilliant thought came to his mind, especially with the display that both Luna and he had put on. After moments of mulling it over in his mind, weighing the pros of having his own organization much like the Order of the Phoenix or the Death Eaters, minus the murder, rape and pillaging, he leaned into Luna.

"It's a brilliant idea Harry, but I think at this point in time it might be best for us to train first. I am of the firm belief that the DA will back you in whatever you do, as long as we can back it up." She said firmly. Harry looked at her for a moment and at that very moment, missed her airy way that she normally looked at the world; and at that, he frowned.

"What's wrong my love."

"Luna, I'm sorry, I understand that you haven't shown me nearly all of what you are but at the same time I'm feeling a little conflicted. I like you for you, and I hope that you understand that, but right now you're showing me sides of you that I didn't know existed. So often you've really seemed carefree…"

"Harry, I am, but as of late there are things that are happening to you that are absolutely breaking my heart. You're a sweet boy." She broke off tears breaking the rims of her eyes and she dropped her gaze of him. She couldn't do it. It was hurting her too much to even look at him. "I'm sorry. You have to understand that I've kept myself away from a lot of people and well…" She choked up for a moment. "Ronald has always been the worst Harry. He didn't have to try. He just did it naturally without effort and without thinking. When I came here, I was so scared. This is where my mum came and because what she was. Don't get me wrong, Harry, I loved and do love my mum, but she was experimenting with things…" She looked taken aback for a moment realizing that she might have said too much. She might have given away too much about that but then realized that she hadn't said anything at all. Her mum's secret was safe. No harm would come. She looked up at him now. His eyes were brimming themselves with unshed tears. She could see that her pain was something that he could not touch and with the knowledge of it was breaking him now. This wasn't supposed to happen. _'Why? Why did he care so much about such an insignificant girl.' _She wondered to herself.

She was shocked when his hands came up and cupped her face. He realized his thumbs to gently caress her checks and at the same time took the opportunity to gently wipe away the tears from them. They were children, with a budding romance that was already months delayed due to the efforts of one Ginevra Molly Weasley, and while neither Harry nor Luna had even the care to do anything about it they realized that there was something between them that didn't register with the others. He really, truly and honestly cared about her.

Harry wanted nothing more than to go away and being with Luna no matter where her father and her went. He wanted desperately to be out of Hogwarts and out of Number four on the move with the excitement of the Snorkack hunt. It would be amazing to find something that the wizarding world didn't know and didn't believe existed before.

He translated that to her with the caresses. He wanted her to know that he believed in her and anything that she wanted to do was more fun than anything that he had ever done in his short life. It was true, of course, and that was because outside of Hogwarts he had done nothing whatsoever but what his relatives had command to be done. He was a broken spirit and she was a free one that he so wanted to be with that it hurt with the knowledge that he would have to return. He would have to be there, again, in the smallest bedroom. He would have to deal with the cast off clothing and would have to deal with the fact that the only family that he had ever known didn't give a rat's ass about boy.

He thought about it now and knew that at home that was his name. Harry didn't exist at Number Four. Harry never existed. It was always, constantly and eternally boy or freak. Harry realized with utter humility that he really hadn't known his own name until his first teacher had told him. She had read the note that his teacher had found attached to his shirt.

Harry James Potter. Who was that? He looked around the room with eager anticipation on find out who this boy was, but when he looked he found every eye on him. He cocked his head to the side as if silently looking for confirmation, and when the teacher looked at him rather oddly he just accepted Harry in the place of Boy/Freak.

That had been the very first time that he questioned everything. He question why his aunt had back-handed him when he accidentally had called her mum instead of Aunt Petunia. She was full of rage and anger when she had done that, but Harry had rationalized that she wasn't really looking at him. The few and far between times that Aunt Petunia had taken the time to discipline him was when he had slipped up, otherwise it had been uncle Vernon, whom had taken to dishing out his punishment with such overzealous joy.

Harry felt his head hit the table in resignation. He didn't have it in him to do anything than what had been expected of him. It was how he was raised, to serve them. They would tolerate nothing less than for Harry to be completely subservient to their every need. They had looked forward to it with an evil glint in each of their eyes as to what to do with the boy.

He would be made to work, now, even more so than in the past, Harry had rationalized. There would be no escape, and in the thought of that he came to understand that in some way this was his Aunt Petunia's doing more so than anyone else.

He had recognized it early one when he had a bout of wandless magic that she had wanted to be like him so much. He may have even had the ability to gleam it off of her surface memories that she had been so jealous of her sister later in life, but when the year after Lily had left for school came and went without Petunia receiving the same letter as her sister is when Petunia became bitter. She had grown jealous to the point of fanaticism.

Petunia hadn't hated her sister at the conclusion of her first year, but had been full of questions. There was such eagerness in her that it was almost palpable. Lily saw this, of course, and had missed her best friend in her little sister so much so that she hadn't spared a single detail.

When that letter never materialized, however, the eagerness melted away to nothingness over time. They had still been close at first, however, that slowly; over time, melted away into a burning hostility that was never resolved. Harry didn't know any of this until he felt the hostility manifest itself.

"You, Harry, are my love, until you decide to do something that would change that back into what it had been before. Stop beating yourself up over this, and that. It will only lead towards more questions that you cannot and would not want answered. She's been horrible to you…" She was immediately cut off.

"How can you…" and then in like she cut him off as well.

"Harry, I know I have Seer blood in me, otherwise I couldn't see what I do. I will teach you all that I can, but in the interim…"

"I'll have to be patient." He said with an utter finality that she had to question, but when looking into his eyes found a resolve there that she hadn't seen before. Harry was an enigma, even to her. He was a nice and sweet boy whom, on a whim, had asked her on a date that, today, she had berated him upon because that date didn't have it's natural conclusion, which for her, even involved being walked to the entry-way which would have eventually led to her common room.

She wanted him more than anything because with having him led to a normalcy that she had never known before. Not that she didn't know existed, because she did; she was a Ravenclaw after all, but that she had never been led there. She had never been put into the position where a boy had actually liked her.

He had been different, she had eventually come to the conclusion. She had expected the resentment because he had befriended Ronald, after all. What she didn't expect was that Ronald, as much as he had proved to be in the past, wasn't the leader of their crew. He had, in fact, been a very subservient follower of Harry James Potter, and that led her to her assumption that with being with Ron, at least his influence of Harry would be enough so that she would have to keep up the false pretenses. That had been a missed assumption on her part entirely.

They sat at the Ravenclaw table, now, in complete and utter silence. They looked at one another when the food had been taken away. In fact, the two of them had clearly expected either Ron or Hermione to make another appearance, and with that another plead to come to reason. Fortunately that never came because, both, Harry and Luna were clearly already there. There was no reason for doing anything different. Their paths had already been set, and for the first time for their own actions.

Luna looked towards him now with a waiting that would be forever, but when she looked into his eyes; she knew, that her answer was only moments away. He had a resolve there again; but with that, a question that had burned within him that he almost had failed to ask it until he looked into her eyes as well.

It was a crux time, for Harry. He had periodically looked over his shoulder, towards his friends. When he had taken such liberties with the opportunities when they came, they proved fruitful. Hermione always appeared to be deep in thought. However, Ron had always appeared to be hungry. '_Typical Ron,'_ Harry mused as he watched Ron acquire another left over, not attended to properly, meal that someone had not paid particular attention to due to the show that they had received free of charge due to the show.

That is when Harry decided to pluck up the courage and ask Luna the question that had really been plaguing him. He knew that he had to ask the question. He had to know the answer, because being without her led towards too many complications that he just was not ready to deal with.

He couldn't fathom her spending another night within the structure known as the Ravenclaw domain. He knew that Cho, amongst others, would be waiting; almost salivating with the anticipation of events to come of her return to her own common room.

Harry was just thankful that he had the knowledge that Cho was a seventh year this year. She would not be returning back to Hogwarts next year as this was her final year. But he knew that with the waiting to ask the question that Luna might say no. She might, he rationalized, not want to be with him as much as he wanted so desperately to be with her, and with that knowledge; or so he thought, came trepidation.

"Can you…" He tried but failed miserably. He wanted her to be with him so desperately that he could hardly think of anything which would seem rational and that is what broke him.

"Harry, dear?" She said, almost begging him to pay attention to her, as if he wasn't already.

"Yes?" His question of her begged off what he was going to ask her in utter relief because he felt that he was more than happy to relent to the fates once more.

Unfortunately for Harry, a couple of things happened at that moment, while good, were nothing more than just an interruption that even Luna didn't fore-see.

"Harry, might I have a word?" The honest question came from one person that he, neither expected, nor ever thought would use his first name, Blaise Zabini. The boy was the same that he remembered from Slughorn's party. He was tall, at least the same size as Ron; in fact, however, his darker olive skin combined with the same hazel olive eyes were somewhat of a distraction. He knew Blaise for the man he was, quiet, and that was just, now shattered.

"Zabini." Harry said with utter trepidation, knowing that this conversation could go very wrong or to the less likely of what was suspected, right.

"Harry, I know that we are not friends and have never pretended to be. In fact, the only social interaction that we have had together was at Slughorn's party." He said which alluded towards a continuation of a conversation which was long overdue. "However choices be that as they may…" He began to choke up for a moment being here he might as well be completely naked. "I've never followed Draco or his lot. They're a bit of an embarrassment in the house of Slytherin. Look, I do have an idea of what you are facing and it's not going to be pretty, however, Draco isn't here anymore…" He started but was cut off abruptly by Luna.

"Had he not been there at all I'm sure that you would probably not understand that instead of red and gold that my boyfriend would have been wearing silver and green?" She asked without need of an answer.

"What the bloody hell?" Blaise asked in an almost demanding tone.

"The first person I ever met who was magical was Hagrid, and while he was completely nice made it known to me that any wizard whom had good bad came from Slytherin. Ron reinforced that, as did Malfoy by calling himself superior."

"Malfoy's a git, and to be honest with you I have a feeling that with his father's influence he just managed to get into Hogwarts at all. He's no real talent for anything except potions and that is because he spent every waking moment with Professor Snape. You did know that Severus Snape was Draco Malfoy's godfather did you not." Blaise questioned.

"No, I did not, but thank for you for diatribe, and while I do not mean to be rude I'm afraid that the hour has turned late and we will all be expected to return to our proper Common Rooms." Harry said, almost dismissing Blaise Zambini.

"I'm with you. I thought that you should know. While you probably would not trust Slytherin's given your track record with us…"

"Harry is a Slytherin." Luna all but blurted out.

"WHAT!" All of the remainders were Slytherin and were demanding a full explanation.

"I didn't choose to be Gryffindor for any other reason outside of what Ron and Hagrid had introduced me. I know that…"

"Nobody chooses, it's done for us."

"Blaise, you do realize that if the sorting takes longer than expected that it's very well; rumored at least, that the hat asks you where you would like to go." Luna asked almost bored.

"And where were you supposed to land should you not have interfered?" Blaise asked already knowing the answer?

'Well, we would have been house-mates, I suppose." Harry asked almost recognizing the look of shock that melted away into anger that wasn't directed towards him.

"Mr. Potter, a word please." Harry looked up to the visage of his own head of house. Looking down now, he found his on right hand outstretched beckoning that of the other, whom made him whole. Feeling her fingers outstretched they quickly interlaced, and he looked up. There was a time when the Transfiguration professor had intimidated him, and unfortunately this wasn't one of those time. Taking a deep breath, he looked at Luna, really, and saw the resolve there that was more than enough to make him not worry.

"Lead the way." Harry said plainly.


	4. Indifference

**Indifference**

Harry found himself laying in his bed as the early morning sunrise peaked just over the horizon. So many things had changed just yesterday that he could hardly believe it himself. He had broken up with one girlfriend and found another in Luna Lovegood. He closed his eyes and brought a mental image of her. She was smiling and laughing all while looking at him.

Harry felt his grin form instantly across his face at the very thought of her. Thinking of spending the summer training with her and then, once Tom Riddle was no more, going on adventures in search of strange and unusual creatures regardless if they came across them. The point was being away.

A frown marred his visage now as he recalled the conversation that he had with Headmistress McGonagall. The treachery that Albus Dumbledore was capable of was something that just didn't seem to be real. He had fashioned himself into a grandfather role in Harry's life.

"Mr. Potter, after you left I took both great time and care in my discussion with Albus' portrait, and I'm afraid I am at my wits end. What he intended to do with you makes me wonder if he was really ever on the side of the light of if it was all just some grand scheme of his."

"What do you mean."

"He has absolutely no remorse for what he had put you through. What's more is the fact that he keeps justifying his actions as being for the greater good."

"And what exactly would be considered the greater good. What was his plan? Did he at least share that with you?" Harry asked feeling as if his hackles were rising as the anger. He felt began to feel like he did when the headmaster had originally told him the prophecy. It was not boding well for Harry, but at this very moment he knew that his immediate asking the questions quick enough was because he really did want to know. He needed to know, and noticing the apologetic look in her eyes was the prelude to what could only be considered news that he really didn't want to hear.

"I'm afraid that after your attack at the Department of Mysteries, when You-Know-Who possessed you for that brief moment, that Albus decided that you would be the perfect sacrifice. In fact he had been thinking that all along, Mr. Potter… Harry, I know this seems grim, but have you considered extended training?" She asked looking him straight in the eye the entire time that she had levied this burden upon him. She noticed the look of resign first that was immediately followed by betrayal, then anger and finally resolve. She was literally amazed at the sheer burden that Harry Potter was willing and able to handle upon his shoulders.

"Luna and I have discussed this in detail. My question, now that that barmy old man is not with us anymore is the Order still functioning and would the Auror members consider helping me?"

"Harry, Alastor would be more than happy to help you with anything that you may need. You may also call on Tonks and Kingsley as well, however I'm afraid that since the two of them are still active Aurors, their help may be rather sparse considering assignments with the DMLE. As for the Order, unfortunately it was Albus that held it together and I'm afraid at the moment the question of leadership, the direction and purpose of the Order are now in question. In reality we didn't do all to much since Tom's rebirth outside of collecting data and reporting it back to Albus."

"Well, I suppose that a meeting with the remaining members will be necessary. Also, because I do not know whom was members outside of those that I saw present at Sirius' house, I think that Veritaserum will be required for all whom wish to continue to be a member. Those who don't wish to take part of that will, of course, not be permitted to remain members and an oath of secrecy from those whom decide to remain members. There will be absolutely no contact nor information sharing with anyone outside of the order. Will Mad-eye be keeping a track of me while at number four?" He asked, and seeing the affirmative look in her eye before she even spoke acknowledged that he would be very busy.

Harry stood in the corridor to an empty train compartment. He had mulled quite a few things over in the morning. He realized that the questions that had been plaguing him with the former headmaster plagued him with others as well. A lot of those questions revolved around his two pending friends, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley. Hermione's mothering of Harry had, at times, gotten on his nerves. She was a true know it all and when she didn't know the answers she would dive hopefully into tomes of knowledge seeking answers until she found it. She rarely trusted anything that hadn't been previously written down. Her refuge had been between the pages of musty old books. They had been her only friends prior to her arrival at Hogwarts.

Ronald had been his very first friend. When he thought about Ronald Weasley, he began to question the very existence of that friendship. What had they really in common? Ronald often skived off doing homework until the last minute and rarely put for the effort in doing anything outside of Quidditch or chess, and then he thought about it. The conversation that they had when the first met. Ron had told him there hadn't been a dark lord that hadn't been in Slytherin.

Harry wasn't even sure that Grindelwald was even British, so his chances of being a Slytherin were narrowed down to none-at-all. Why would he mention that out of the blue back then? Why would Hagrid for that matter, whom, Harry recalled had made a similar inference to Slytherin's being the wrong sort. With the exception of Draco Malfoy and his mute book end bodyguards, he didn't recall having any issues whatsoever with the rest of the house.

Blaise Zambini had been rather nice. He hadn't expected that, but then again he had spent six years segregating himself from that entire house, the one that Luna claims is still his by default. He was and is Slytherin, she had said as if it should have been plain to see and that anyone could have really seen it had they taken the time.

His thoughts drifted towards Luna and a slow smile, small at first, began to slowly creep across his face until the boy, whom while still contemplative about a great many things couldn't help but relax at the thought of her. He was in for a very interesting time ahead.

"Feel like some company?" He heard a very familiar voice behind him, and turning around he was shocked to see his girlfriend standing there with a look of concern on her face that only just hinted that she was deep in thought. However, as their eyes connected with one another, her lips turned upward at the corners and lit up her sky blue orbs.

She rushed into the compartment quickly closing and using a locking charm on the door. She whipped around and immediately wrapped her arms around him. Her lips crashed against his, taking charge, she plunged her tongue into his mouth to make exploration for her newly acquired territory. His tongue slowly and gingerly touched hers and as it did she began to withdrawl.

Harry took charge as her tongue very slowly left his mouth. He felt her mouth now open, begging him to taste her, to explore her again today as he did the previous day. Her hands went to his bum, which brown am immediate groan of acceptance. Luna felt the smile on his face, which felt slightly odd while snogging. She pulled back from him until their lips were just lightly touching each other.

Harry sighed softly against her. They finally pulled apart and stood there, doing nothing more than looking at the other. He wanted this not to end. It wasn't a thought that the relationship would end with it but being alone with Luna was at times the most content, the most peaceful, that Harry could ever remember being in his life.

They turned and quickly put up there things. Hedwig was in her cage which Harry made sure was not facing the window. Her head was neatly tucked under her wing, so he made sure to not jostle her too much.

They sat there for roughly ten minutes before there was a knock on the door. Looking up, Harry was surprised to see Blaise and Daphne waiting patiently. He quickly got up, used an Alohomora to release the lock and let them in.

"Mind if we join you?" Blaise asked with a steady voice and an honest expression on his face.

"Come in." He said and quickly took his seat, once again, with Luna. They interlaced there hands and looked at the two Slytherin with earnest expressions.

"You'll never guess what we saw just a couple of compartments up." Daphne said with a smile.

"What's that?" Harry asked almost hesitantly.

"Ronald Weasley was sporting a rather nicely delivered shiner, and your other friend Hermione Granger was holding her bruised hand with a look of complete satisfaction. Apparently, Ronald had decided that his little sister had the right idea with the Amortentia and had been in it together all along." She said satisfied but also with a look of apprehension to her.

"Well Harry did tell them that they would have to make some decisions. It would appear that Ronald and Ginerva were all for making the decisions for others, last year." Luna said, seriously, squeezing Harry's hand reassuring and provided needed support.

"Well, serves him right I s'pose." Harry said, taking in a deep breath. "I'm really beginning to think that I may have made some serious mistakes allowing the tattered old hat to put me in Gryffindor. Too many Slytherin there." Harry said with a sly smile.

"Hey, you besmirch the noble house of Slytherin by making implications that the two Weasley's should be there. I take offense."

"But you have to admit that their recent actions don't exactly exude the traditional characteristics of the Gryffindor house." Harry argued.

"However, had it truly been a Slytherin," Blaise countered looking Harry directly in the eye and pausing briefly. "It would have succeeded completely, unless Draco had planned it."

"I'm still unsure as to how he got in there."

"He doesn't have enough friends for Hufflepuff, and he is ambitious, but far from cunning. He works hard on his studies, but overly so, and while he does have the courage to take you on," Daphne now looking at Harry as well, "Deep down he's a coward."

"So, this is all well and good, but where does that leave us?"

"Well, since there's now a vacancy, you could always take up with your true house." Blaise said, hopefully.

"While that would certainly be a change of pace, I think it would be more than a little suspicious and may even take away my edge. Voldemort has continued to underestimate me at each turn. With my luck, I hope to continue that course. Besides it's more cunning to be within the belly of the beast and work from the inside." Harry said looking at his two new friends. "We're going to be training this summer. If you like, we could have group sessions, I'm sure, but I do have to stay with my relatives this last summer." He finished almost dejectedly.

"Are they awful?" Daphne asked, the worry evident in her voice.

"They hate anything that has to do with magic. I don't think that I should have to go into it any more than that. After this summer I don't plan to ever see them again, and I am positive that the feelings are mutual." Harry started to ask something but them paused for a moment. He started again, but then looking at the two of them couldn't bring himself to ask.

"Harry's worried about how your family will react, should they learn that you've expressed an interest in alliance against You-Know-Who." Luna said plainly.

"Oh, well Daphne and I've been best friends since we were three years old. Our parents are neutral. They've not taken any sides in this war not because they're dark or waiting anything out or any such nonsense. It really hasn't affected them whatsoever."

At this point Daphne took over. "Our parents work very closely together and often have quite a few Muggle businesses where they are hardly in the magical world whatsoever. They do subscribe to the Daily Prophet and our mum's love the Quibbler whole-heartedly." Looking at Luna she could see the look of skepticism, however she quickly added, "The article with Harry as well as the Arithmancy puzzles and the hunt for the elusive Snorkack keeps them talking non-stop!" She finished with a grin.

Luna was worried at the point that the Quibbler had been mentioned because her father's paper had always been talked about amongst her fellow Ravenclaws as somewhat of a joke. Early on in her schooling as a first and a second year this had really hurt. Cho Chang had hurt her so much with her taunts, in fact, that it had initially caused her to cry herself to sleep so much that, publicly, she almost became a completely different person altogether.

It was at this moment that the normalcy of life usually finds a way to butt its ugly head in and the impending pressure on the young misses bladder screamed to her that you will pay attention to you because if you do not, I will most certainly make this singularly insignificant moment one that will last you for the next one hundred and fifty years and counting. Luna, understanding that moment begged off her companions; albeit briefly, after properly kissing her boyfriend left the compartment in search of the already known presence of the nearest and closest loo.

She made her way into the corridor uninterrupted, and counted herself quite lucky. Unfortunately, for Luna, that is where her luck would end. Upon reaching the fated doorway, upon where she would let loose the dogs of war and cry havoc or and lease pray that it wasn't too bothersome a task she found the fated door read occupied.

She prayed that she had come to the door at the moment that the occupant had come to the realization that the business had been concluded and that their job had been properly done. This hadn't been the case and had been entirely wishful thinking, even though her mind try and begged to tell her that she didn't just hear the door close upon approach. She would meet upon the porcelain embassy and take refuge to deliver said refugees to the amnesty.

The flock of flying turtle-heads remained poised in position to take flight when the most inopportune time that she heard the whimpering coming from behind her obstructed retreat. Someone was upset, she understood. She knew how she felt at this very moment and while not really prepared to play a role of concern, her concern grew larger as the impending release begged, whimpered, itself, that it was time to repent for the dark times were a coming whether she liked it or not.

"Please!" She practically begged at the door, which caused the crying girl from behind the door to immediately fall silent. Luna now new that it was a matter of mere seconds before her body would fail her and her embarrassment would be apparent to all. "I don't mean to be pushy but I must get in there. It's rather a bit of an emergency, and at that her flatulence erupted from deep within. The door opened, but nobody came out and the room beyond was quiet. As she burst into the lavatory compartment she tried to plan modesty, but yet again, she felt the pressure threatening her. Totally resigned to her fate, she paid the other girl no mind whatsoever and dived into the stall.

She had just gotten her panties around her ankles and her buttocks firmed planted on the seat when all hell broke loose from her bowels. The pain that was holding it in was immediately replaced with a pain from express release. She felt the back-lash from the flood released bounce off of the porcelain beneath her and immediately realized to her horror that, not only would she have to take extra time in making sure that she had properly cleaned herself, but that she was still in the lavatory cart with a crying unknown girl.

"I'm so sorry for this. I'm afraid that I couldn't hold it much longer," She managed to work out in an audible sentence which came interspersed between grunts and strains.

"That's quite alright." She heard a very familiar voice reply.

"Hermione?" Luna inquired almost hesitantly, knowing before the acknowledgement of the affirmative.

"Sorry, I didn't think when I ducked in here." She said almost choking on the words as they poured out of her mouth.

Luna didn't know what to think at this moment in time. She had briefly heard both Blaise and Daphne recall what they had witnessed and was becoming more and more curious as to the chain of events that had brought the quite curly-haired girl to this point in grief. She hated herself for this curiosity because it was the most based form of human nature which drove the same girls whom had plagued her daily at her time at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Exiting the stall proved to be her most true Gryffindor moment as she was suffering from total embarrassment. She couldn't believe that she had allowed herself to be so free in her relief. However looking at the she horror that had been completely obvious in Hermione Granger's eyes she knew, now, that there were more pressing circumstances that were presented. The other girl was in pain. She was in pain and she had been her Harry's best friend for five out of the six years that he had attended school at Hogwarts.

"Are you going to be okay?" She had asked before she even thought about it whatsoever. She didn't know if she wanted to know. The girl had always been horrible to her and she knew that had Harry not been involved at all that she really wouldn't have cared at all. However Harry was involved, and the fact that he had been friends with both Hermione and Ronald had plagued her automatic response to come in the form of that question.

"I don't know. I honestly don't know what I'm feeling at this point. I know that I am completely and utterly uncertain. Where do I go from here, Luna? What the bloody hell am I going to do? Ron and Ginny had done something that I feel was only for their own self-interest. It was a brilliant attempt in the most juvenile way, really."

"Forgive them," She said and ended simply.

"What?!" Hermione asked, almost incredulously as the mere thought of forgiveness for what had been done in their evil and vile attempt to gain what hadn't been willingly offered to be almost preposterous.

"Your forgiveness for what they have do to, both, you and Harry will be more than to through them off. Ronald and Ginerva both over think their efforts and neither will see forgiveness as something that either of them will attain. Now, before you get all high and mighty, hear me out. I said forgive. I never mentioned forget. Remember, they are thinking; all the time, in fact, and more likely than not will make a mistake."

"You know something, Luna?" She asked, and immediately responded after a brief pause and acknowledgement was met with a nod without verbal acknowledgement for continuance. "You really did belong in Ravenclaw, but you have a Slytherin streak a mile wide." She finally finished, the tears of frustration that had streaked her face were, now, long gone.

"So then, Harry and I are really an ideal match; him, being Slytherin and all."

"Where did you get that."

"Well it was obvious that the hat had wanted him to be placed there. It almost pleaded."

"Luna, you didn't start Hogwarts until the following year. How could you possibly know that."

"Outside of the whole school thinking that he was the Heir of Slytherin my first year?" She asked, and not waiting for a conclusion to the argument proceeded, "Harry has been exhibiting signs of being a true Slytherin during the whole time that I have been there. Compact that with the fact that he has divulged to me what his life has been while living with his poor excuse for a family, well, it's really quick obvious, is it not? That was the house that he should have been in except that Draco Malfoy kind of pushed him off of his desire to be ambitious and his lack of friends drew him away from the loyalty of Hufflepuff. His family had driven the drive, pardon the pun, from wanting to exhibit his intelligence; and Hermione never, ever, forget that Harry James Potter is a remarkably intelligent person, and that left him with one place to go. Harry has always had to remain brave. He had to because it was the only thing that he could be. He had everything else driven out of him. He had to be brave enough to be able to face that there was nothing else that anyone could take away from him. In the end, he had been alone all of his life. You're really quite lucky that he had found you and Ronald worthy to be friends with. I have a feeling that had he not found friends, or those that he had deemed worthy to be such that he would have been a very different Boy-Who-Lived. Now," She paused looking at her friend, and she still did count Hermione as a friend because she hadn't really done anything to remove herself from the luxury of being crowned such, "can you tell me that you have been honestly worth of such a moniker this year?"

"Well…" Hermione started but at the same point, while wanting to argue the point found that her ability to argue that point to be absolutely groundless. She didn't have anything to fight in that argument. She found herself be completely, in fact, guilty of being a rather poor friend.

"Hermione, to be frank, and I'm sorry, but you've been a right cunt to him. While I'm not judgmental of this, you will have to make atonement for your actions. I'm not even trying to be cruel about it, but understand that I love him and will always side with him. This may be a flash flood bit of a romance that has happened with him, but at the same point, had that red-headed slag not interfered with where Harry and I might be in a relationship, it wouldn't be so much of a shock. I'm not pulling punches any longer. He's mine, I'm his and I won't make nice about it any longer. You, on the other hand, have a very special place in his heart. I cannot tell you what that is because, frankly, it's rather guarded and the fact that he gave you the opportunity to re-evaluate your position and make a decision rather astounds me. I wouldn't have been so generous given your complete and utter lack of support this year."

"Luna you have to listen to reason, and before you start in on me again, how about having all of the facts before you make presumptions?" Hermione finally interjected. Luna looked at her for a moment before finally resigning to allow the other girl to have her say, acknowledging her to continue with a small short nod of her head. "Harry has been my every reason for anything that I've done. I don't know when Ron and Ginny had hatched their insane plan and you have to know that, while they did what they did, I was nothing more than a victim, like Harry. I didn't have any control and didn't have a means by which to voice any objection. They saw fit to ensure that ability had been taken away from me. I'm left to be this mindless automaton, subject to Ron's will, and that will was to leave Harry alone. It didn't help matters that my jealousy had played a very valid part in how I had distanced myself away from him but at the same point he had always looked towards me as a voice of reason. I know that my reason may have been very badly clouded, but; at the same point, he had chosen not to listen to it. I will admit that I didn't' listen to him, at times, and I probably should have but the being unreasonable was a two-foldled street." Hermione, at this point took towards pacing the lavatory compartment. She was like a creature possessed with a mission that knew that if her message had not been conveyed properly that she would not garner a further thought, and that was the furthest thought from her mind. She had to make Luna see her side because without it her friendship, her relationship with Harry would be lost.

"Hermione?" Luna said after a long pause.

"Hmmm?" Hermione said, looking towards the younger girl now, with apprehension in her eyes.

"This really should be something that you should be discussing with your best friend, don't you think?" Luna asked with only the smallest hint of a grin.

The two walked back to Luna and Harry's compartment in utter silence. They had walked past the compartment that Hermione had shared with both Ron and Ginny only stopping long enough for Hermione to gather her belongings in comparative silence.

Upon reaching the compartment, Hermione noticed that Harry wasn't alone. The shocking bit was that he was sharing his compartment with two Slytherins, however when she thought of Blaise Zambini and Daphne Greengrass she had to admit to herself that the two had not been part of the Draco Malfoy crowd whatsoever. They remained a quite pair, but had been an inseparable pair during their tenure at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Bowing her head in resign, she tucked into the compartment and sat down across from Harry. It took Hermione all of two minutes before she spoke as she was running scenarios as to how the conversation would begin. What she didn't expect was that Harry had stood up before she began to speek, reached into his trunk and retrieved a small jar. He walked across the compartment, taking a small cloth, soaking it into the contents of the mysterious jar and taking her hand in his.

She recognized the scent immediately as essence of murlap, the same stuff that she had used on his hand over and over again after his detentions with Professor Umbridge. Slowly her eyes began to water until tears just slowly toppled over her bottom eyelids. He was still the same boy she had come to love as her very best friend, and she had been rather horrible to him. She couldn't rationalize why she had, now. He dressed her wounded hand, and then when he was finished quietly put away the jar and cloth.

"I see that you still hit people without any regard to your own well being." Harry said flatly, which caused Hermione to look up at him with a start. However, upon seeing the very noticeable smile upon his face, relaxed quickly before her own grin began to quickly spread across her face to the point that it was now brightly shining in her eyes.

"I'm sorry about last year, Harry." She said, losing a bit of that light as she finally found her voice. She noticed that he was about to wave it off and became firm in her resolve. "Harry, please, I need to do and say this to you so please don't make it less than important for you to her as it is really quite important for me to say." She pleaded.

Harry saw that his friend was suffering. She was even now, still, under the effects of a potion and only through her resolve of rules and justice managed to break free of the mental hold that same potion had on her to get away from Ron. He didn't know why his best mate could do something like this, let alone his sister and resigned that it very well may be a family trait, however this wasn't really the topic at hand. The true topic was Hermione and the fact that he really had stood by her for five out of the six years that they had attended school together. She deserved to at least be heard out.

"I can only assume that you know what happened on the train today by their presense." She said, and remarkably to Harry this was with a complete lack of the Gryffindor malice towards all things Slytherin. Her voice was shaky, but not from strain, only nerves. "He did it to me too. I don't know how long or to what extent. Bloody Hell, Harry." She finally managed to say before taking in a couple of deep breaths.

"Hermione?" Harry said softly but the use of her name had clearly been an unspoken question of her wanting to know that she was okay. This had been demonstrated over the past six years that Harry and Hermione had a sort of silent means of communication to which the others that surrounded them didn't quite understand, with the exception of the twins. She looked up at him, seeing the forgiveness that was present in his eyes but also the pleading for her to be, both, alright and happy with him. Their was also the firm demand that she practice Mad-Eye Moody's constant vigilance at all times.

"Thank you Harry." She finally said, standing up as he did the same and them wrapping him in a hug. This wasn't a hug of desperation as she had given in the past or even on closely resembling one that Molly Weasley was famous for. This was one of a longing. That longing was to have never fought with Harry in the first place. She had her face buried into the nape of his neck and Harry, in kind, doing the same. After a minute or so the broke apart, and took their seats again.

Luna had a very bright smile on her face as his fingers immediately interlaced and she quicked propped her feet across his lap while her head gently rested upon his shoulder.

"You do know that you two are bloody scary!" Blaise said, not being about to hold it back any longer.

"What're you on about Blaise?" Harry asked almost annoyed but still smiling.

"You're condensed version of a silent argument that should have taken at least an hour to sort out handled without so much as a word and completely sorted within a minute. Scary. Understand?" He said with a smile, himself now.

"What can I say?" Harry asked looking back at Hermione who was smiling now, as she reached into her backpack and pulled out a copy of Hogwarts, A History. This, however, seemed to be a version of the book that Harry hadn't seen before and looking at her for a moment, she just met his eye, and recognized the query immediately.

"This was Headmasters copy, not published for students. He left it to me. Headmistress McGonagall gave it to me before we left. Supposedly, this is the unabridged version, and for once I'd like to know the truth." Hermione said as if it garnered no response whatsoever.

The remaining trip back to London remained without question nor incident. It was a ride of silent companionship which at times like this the silence amongst friends, both old and new, proved to be something that was needed, now.

Upon arrival at King's Cross, however, the five of them arrived into hustle and bustle of a very chaotic terminal. People were making mad dashes to either gather up their children or the children, themselves were urgently seeking out the familiarity of a parental figure.

"Wotcher Harry!" Harry heard immediate and spun around to find shocking pink hair, but not the familiar smile that usually accompanied the normally energetic witch.

"What's wrong?"

"There's been an attack in Surrey, Harry. I'm sorry, but you'll not be going to Number Four." She said now, with a look on her face that clearly showed that there was more to be told.


	5. Competence

**Competence**

_**Black Citadel – Ravenscar – North York Moors**_

The sound of wet leather cracked through the darkness of the room that was only illuminated by the blood red light that was cast off of the harvest moon. CRACK! The leather had made contact with the unknown form which elicited a moan which could not have been clearly discerned as pleasure or pain. However, the whish sound retreated back and the force of the blow was doubled. Again a crack had been heard in the room and again the wet sound of broken flesh had rebound of the unforgiving concrete walls.

She had been at this, now, for hours. The madness which had been perceived had finally come home to roost and there was nothing that she could do to escape this self-inflicted purgatory. She was damned by her own actions. Her face contorted into an unexplainable expression that could only be described as agony.

The whip had been one of her, own, design. She had spent months on it choosing and enchanting the stones that she had carefully woven into it. It included jagged blood stones, for obvious reasons, and hematite as well, for healing. That was because, after what she had done, she felt the need to suffer.

Crack! The unrelenting and unforgiving leather sounded causing streaks of brilliant white to flash in her eyes. She knew that there would be no forgiveness, not after what she had done to her own cousin. He had egged her on, in battle. She knew this and it had gotten to her as it had when they had been children growing up. It always got to her. He had known this and she knew that he had known this and for the simple niceties of ending this self-imposed argument without the opportunity of an opponent, she ended the circle.

As the leather left her flesh the ravines of torn into her flesh had been instantly healed by the enchantments that had been carefully placed and only the blood flow had been stopped. Death would not take her into the blissful unknown. Death would not be an escape.

She jerked her hand forcibly back and prepared the onslaught of another attack against her flesh, looking at the clock across the room. It had been twelve hours in this routine, now. She had been at this since two in the morning and it was well past mid-day now.

Memories came back to her that she had pushed far into the back of her memory. She faced her memories of her cousin and all the mischief that he would get into when they were little children. Memories that she held onto with a deep reverence because they were what had kept her sane when she was forced to honor a loveless marriage contract. She watched memories that she now looked at with an utter loss at what had happened that fate-filled night in the dark room. An archway that seemed relatively innocent and the battle had been one that had resembled the ones that she and her cousin had partaken in many times in the past.

Crack! The sound of the whip hadn't been as forgiving this time. She had pain overwhelm her and with that came the unfortunate memory of a consciousness that she had lost so many years ago. It was a consciousness that she had before the cold and the horrid memories prevailed in the years that she had been held captive in far away walls of an unforgiving prison.

That is when her sanity broke the other way, for Bellatrix Black. The remorse that she felt at the loss of a good man named Sirius Black, her most loyal and original friend and family. She cried out to such an extent that the sound of her voice reverberating off of the same unforgiving concrete caused her ears pain. Tears of remorse bridged the very confines of her under-lids and spilt copiously down her cheeks at the memory of a four year old Sirius smile before he embraced her lovingly in a hug that shared more love than she had gotten from her own mother.

"Come on Bella! You can do better than that!" The words that fell from his lips had been his last and the familiar smile of a four year old had melted into the surprise of a thirty year old man which burnt its way forever into her memory.

Bellatrix Black collapsed in the room, not from the obvious exhaustion that her body had found itself in. There was no denying that her self-induced forced attrition had truly worn her down. She was spent. Her spirit had completely broken when she realized that their play; which they had when the two had been children, had ended in a way that hadn't been pre-determined.

She closed her eyes in the unwilling fainting that exhaustion had brought and saw her reaction to his taunting. She saw that her final loss of innocence had come with the predicted stunner that she had thrown. She watched in horror as the play, the game; that the two competitive cousins had always had ended with a final call as an unconscious Sirius Black had slammed into the wrong curtain.

And then… He was gone and she was left alone. She recalled in her current state that he had sworn that he would never leave her. Years upon years of being less than one-third meter away from each other in the bitter cold cells of Azkaban had brought her a cold comfort.

She recalled his joy and ability to tell stories of a simple and happy boy named Harry Potter and while those stories had been annoying to her initially she had felt the confines of the imperious curse and the bonds of a forced marriage slip as her husband, Rodolphus had slipped slowly towards a hopeless insanity in a cell that had been ten meters away.

Of course, she could hear her husband's pleas and cries for death to come after less than six months and while she had never loved him, she came to understand the power that he had once had over her. She claimed there before her cousin that she would never allow another person to have so much power.

She had been weak. She realized this now. Should could have been much stronger, proved herself more faith if she could have only been able to force off the Dark Lord's next Imperius curse. It had proved to be a failure, and she gasped desperately for breath. Once recovered, she sighed in resignation that she had failed, once again.

The pain that wracked her body now was something that she was all too familiar with. She had been placed under the Cruciatus curse more and for much longer than any other sane human being and remained lucid. She had been pushed farther along the path of darkness than any other human however had made only one mistake that she had been made aware.

She recalled the night of the attack on Frank and Alice Longbottom with complete and utter horror, now that she was away, and unfortunately, for the darkest witch that England had ever seen, the tear-flow hadn't stopped.

Bellatrix stood in the Longbottom home with an infant in her arms. He stared at her completely and utterly transfixed at her appearance. She had looked so determined and willing to make him meat and nothing more, but his innocence had other plans and she was forced to do something that she hadn't planned. Again, at this time, the Imperius had been broken, and with her wand in hand; a quick stupefy later, he was placed unharmed in a pantry in the kitchen.

During the time of his placement there, the damage had already been done. She looked onto the visage of Frank Longbottom and saw the red foam that had formed in his mouth. Her husband looked completely insanely at her with the demand that she prove her loyalty. There was nothing that could bring the two parents back and she did briefly hold them under the Cruciatus curse before they had departed, if only to hold off suspension.

She looked down at her white knuckled fist that gripped harshly onto the Hungarian-Horntail leather whip. The thoughts of a Harry James Potter, which had looked so very much like her fourth-year boyfriend James, and Sirius' best friend. The thoughts had been something of consequence, and more importantly those of the conclusion of his second year at Hogwarts.

She watched in slow fascination as the vision of a sixteen year old boy had flame-etched in the air a name, Tom Marvolo Riddle. The next act had re-arranged the flames without dropping any letters. I am Lord Voldemort. She relived this experience nightly, now for the past year.

Bellatrix Black had been very studious when she was in school and before school she had been home-schooled by; not only her mum, but her aunt as well. She had been well aware that there were no pure-blood Riddle families. That was clearly that of Muggle descent, and with that realization she found herself, now where she was.

Within the confines of her concrete self-imposed cell, she mourned her true family, that of a convict that had been placed in prison and kept her company for nearly eleven years before his escape. He probably would have taken her with him, had he the opportunity, she justified.

Alone in the dark, with the warm and sticky-feeling of the congealing blood that she had spilt beneath her she was left with her rational thoughts and with her regrets for her forced actions that had caused her not only the pain that she had felt, but the loss of family. _Toujours pur_, she thought bitterly.

It had ultimately been her mantra, that which had been forced upon her at such an early age. Always pure, in regards to the inbred blood-lines. When she thought of Sirius she knew that they had been much closer in blood. With cousins marrying cousins, she understood that her only escape from her true-love and in marrying Sirius himself had been in that forced marriage contract with the heir of Lestrange.

Bitterly, she looked towards the corner of the room which had been closed to its only doorway. Rodolphus Lestrange had breathed his last breath and the remains of the once proud man sat slumped, lifeless, in that same corner.

She had spent two and a half days working him over, once that final Imperius curse had worked its way out of her system. Now, his lifeless and dead eyes stared up in complete and utter shock at her betrayal. Images of her life with him had finally come with an utter violence that had not registered into her mind previously.

St. Mungo's Hospital, the night after her consummation of marriage with the man had left her completely and utterly hopeless that the forced marriage would bear fruit of loins. He had been arrogant and vain in applying two Engorgio charms to his petite manhood, which had unfortunately left her wary of any coupling the, thankfully, homosexual spouse would want to procure. More often than not, she found herself in St. Mungo's Hospital to recover from a night of sodomy than anything else and while those thoughts had been previously blurred; tonight, she faced them with a clarity she had previous unknown.

The fluid that he left the world in had started to congeal and scab to the floor in the hours that had passed, and a purplish-white color had found his lifeless face now which brought a calmness to her that Bellatrix Black hadn't known since she had spent those many nights in slumber with her first cousin at Aunt Walburga's home.

"I miss you, Sirius. Why did you bloody well have to drop your guard?!" She screamed to herself now. She felt betrayed, because as teens they would fight that way and with such a force of fierce competitiveness and only to just to test one another. That is when it hit her. She reflected upon it now with the same certainty as she had when she had taken her own husband's life. He hadn't meant her harm. It was just a prank, as always, with him.

The tears crashed harshly now, assaulting her cheeks and all that remained below them at their own honorable locations. He hadn't meant to hurt her. He never would do such a thing to her and she had ruined it all with her misplaced stunner. There was no healing that would be found this night or any other for her utter display of dark magic, the press would finally relate once it got back to her that Sirius Orion Black had fallen to her own stupidity.

It had been empty promises of glory and of Purity and the promise of freedom from oppression. No longer would they hide in fear from discovery. No longer would they cower in the very idea of being discovered by the Muggles, and ultimately they would rule.

They would rule the world had been a carefully placed lie and while the youthful ideals that she had once held had been a motivation while she had been a teen, once the shimmering future had lost its luster, the requests for dominance had been replaced by orders that were enforced by repeated application of the Cruciatus Curse.

She was alone now. There was nowhere to go back at this point. There was no way that she could explain away what the captured death eater's had claimed upon her master's demise. It had been the Imperius Curse, all along, in one way or another and when it hadn't been that it had been lies and charisma.

She didn't want this life. There was no appeal for her here in a court of her mindless peers.

As she made her path along the slate tiles beneath her feet she came across the very familiar and long dead crumpled form of Rodolphus Lestrange. She closed her eyes and a soft smile crept across her face as the long forgotten and hidden images of her nightly rape and torture broke free from a ritual of nightly Confundus and Imperius curses.

She lifted her head back and with complete clarity of purpose cackled insanely.

"FREEDOM AND REVENGE!"

_**London, England – King's Cross Station**_

"What say you, Tonks? They are dead, are they not?" Harry asked almost dead himself as he came to the realization just by the look that came to her eyes as he asked the question. She couldn't only nod.

'_Rather brilliant question there, Potter, are you always this dense or did it take much practice to become that monumentaly naïve?'_ The ring indicated and would that it had a face, Harry could quite visually invision a sneer upon it.

Harry stood there, stone still, as the realization hit him. He was alone now, and completely without family. Now, he had no one that could call him blood, but on a much higher note he only had to look forward to the death eaters liable and slander rather than that of Vernon, Petunia and Dudley. The protections that Albus professed and had harshly demanded that he go back to each and every summer to enforce had, in fact, failed. Then it also hit him. He had no where to go. He had no home now. There was no safe place and there was nothing left of what his mum had sacrificed to ensure his livelihood. What was he going to do? His eyes danced in his head at this realization.

'_Quite the hero now, eh, Potter? Buckle up and survive as we all do during times of utter criticism. That's what differentiates the winners from the losers. The winners survive, the losers are not even a foot-note in history.' _The mental voice of Salazar Slytherin intoned within the confines of his head.

"What the bloody hell are we going to do, Tonks? Where am I to stay?" Harry asked full of worry. The only place that he could think of, well, was unthinkable. It had been a prison to his godfather and just as he was mulling over his thoughts Tonks said without hesitation.

"Grimmauld Place." She said quietly to ensure that only Harry was the one who could hear her.

"And just how the bloody hell am I going to do that? The Fidelus is broken and has gone away with the Headmaster, and Snivellus knows the location, now. It should be crawling with death eaters or at least they'll be on the look out waiting around just biding time until we arrive."

'_Harry Potter, you are sounding like a right fowl coward. Are you sure you should be in Godric's house, let alone his family? Where is your pride? Where is your courage, now, young Potter?'_

'_Where ever has your cunning been? I see no evidence of it, either. You sure you're not Hufflepuff's spirit?' _ Harry Potter jibed the ghost and was immediately retorted with a barking laugh.

'_Helga was a vicious, VICIOUS, woman and you would do well to remember that. Those that are fiercely loyal put everything into defending what they hold precious, and what's more, she melted and tasted of honey. NEVER besmirch my love, Potter, EVER!'_ Salazar retorted with such venom that Harry hand to stand back and gawk at the ring upon his hand.

"Professor Flitwick has agreed to assist with placing another Fidelus charm on the house. We'll do it, now, while it's still daylight and to minimize the potential for attack, as well. It should only take a few moments and then, we're done."

"That doesn't change the one thing about the place that I absolutely loath." Harry said almost half-heartedly.

"And that is?" Tonks asked almost exasperatedly.

"It's still a dark and decrepit rat-hole. I don't want to take the chance that we have a rat. Perhaps, we could have Remus and Hermione work with Professor Flitwick and fashion some other Marauder Maps to be keyed to 'Identified' Death Eaters, so that we can ensure that each location is clear."

'_Potter, you know nothing of what is dark. The Black family was pretentious at best and decided to make poor choices in inbreeding to ensure their family lines. Insane, yes, dark, not hardly.'_

"Harry Potter, you are getting about as paranoid as Alastor Moody." Tonks said with a huge smile.

'_Well, I have this to say about you, Potter. At least there is a voice of reason amongst those you wish to associate with and claim as friends, even if they do not do so in kind.' _The voice of Salazar finished with a quiet that was resounding and spoke as if it knew more from wince the words had come. He did this on purpose, Harry realized and found himself giving in, even though he didn't wish to do so.

"We'll it is better to practice his constant vigilance and appear paranoid and alive as compared to the alternative. I don't want to speak with my parents quite this soon." He finished rather meekly but with a minor resolution that he hoped that he conveyed and failed miserably at doing so with the effort he half-heartedly put forth.

'_Potter, did I tell you that your little girlfriend has great teets?' _Salazar's voice inquired innocently enough.

'_What the bloody hell are teets?_ Harry inquired, equally innoscently.

'_If you have to ask that, I do have to inquire, in kind, what team it is that you're playing for. Maybe I should remain quiet while you play nice with your more MALE friends, then, eh?' _ Salazar asked, really seeming as if the answer that Harry provided was going to bear merit. The rage that Harry felt that had welled up inside him, deeply, was at the point that would completely and utterly overcome him, until he felt something completely foreign to the subject altogether.

Harry felt Luna's hand squeeze his gently. He felt put upon, and made fun of; from a ring no less and that didn't' make him feel any better about the whole nonsense, however he had his resolve and that was saying something. He wouldn't be put into a place where his resolve in even being defeated from an argument put forth by a ring.

He looked up at her and noticed that she had been looking in another direction. Immediately recognizing the sight of her father, Harry began to immediately feel nervous. He had never been face to face with a girlfriend's father. Sure he had briefly dated, both, Cho and Ginny, but the latter had been the result of some rather cunning potion use and Cho had ended before it ever began, and that was mostly due to the fact that she was using him to be closer to her dead boyfriend.

This was a new experience that was rapidly approaching at the moment. He knew that Mr. Lionel Lovegood had been a very powerful wizard with deeply held conviction. One of those convictions, Harry knew, was a very deep love of his only Daughter Luna Selene Lovegood. One that Harry now shared with the man. Harry watched with terror in his eyes as the usually jubilant man approached with a steel resolve in his eyes.

Harry's nerves now were starting to get the better of him. His anticipation of what could come of this very interaction was driving him absolutely barmy on the inside. It honestly could go many different ways and he was hoping for the most optimistic. He still needed to formally ask Luna to date, but wanted to attain the blessing of her father for some noble reason. Each step that Mr. Lovegood made closer towards his daughter reverberated off of the ground and etched its way into his memory and Harry felt his resolve towards an amicable meeting slip._ 'Potter, you're descended from Godric BLOODY Gryffindor for Merlin's sake. Try and show some of that legendary courage that he was known for. It's just your girlfriend's dad. You've faced my heir numerous times and you're afraid of one whose grip on reality is clearly questionable?'_

"Mr. Potter, if it wouldn't be too much of an imposition, might I have a brief word with you?" Lionel Lovegood said without his trademarked jovial, infectious and wondrous smile.

"Of course, sir." Harry said, almost nervously. Looking at Luna, he noticed that her eyes had never once left her father never faltering and full of concern for what the conversation would ultimately lead to.

Luna had never had a boyfriend before. Sure, it was completely true that she had been asked out by other boys in Ravenclaw, but it had always been a prank, for which, she just rolled with it, never letting them see the disappointment which she had only ever shared with herself. She had Harry, now, and knew without any doubt that he would love her as long and with as much passion as he had in himself to give to her. She knew that she would love him with equal enthusiasm.

"Mr. Potter, I am well aware of my only daughter's feelings for you. My only question is whether your feelings are returned towards her. I will not have her hurt. She's a strong and very smart witch, regardless of what her peers in Ravenclaw seem to think. Sure, she has allowed them a wide berth with the pranks that they've played upon her; on occasion, but that in and of it self is what makes her who she is. She's much like her mum…" Lionel said with all of the passion of the proud papa that he was. Harry saw that and as he went on, he never once let his eyes falter off of the man. A smile steadily spread across his face and Lionel didn't let that go unnoticed. "Mr. Potter, do you understand where I'm going with this."

"Mr. Lovegood, yes, I understand exactly where you're going with it and to be complete forthright with you, my feelings and intentions towards Luna are completely honorable and genuine. She means a great deal to me. She challenges me constantly and for the oddest of reasons brings me peace amidst chaos." Harry said, letting his eyes falter from Lionel only to look towards Luna's blue orbs. She was beaming at him, which was infectious and the smile on his face only broadened. "I love her, sir." _'Nice solid comeback there. You're on a roll here. Don't muck it up!'_

"Well, continue to do that. Harry, I'm sorry for the formality of this situation." He said, with his own broad smile. Harry immediately straightened himself up and took a very serious posture.

"Mr. Lovegood, I would like to request your permission to court your daughter." He said, nervously.

"I was under the impression that you were doing that already." He said, very serious indeed. _'He's got a point there, and you were doing wondrously until just now!' Salazar's voice was dripping with sarcasm. _

"But I have yet to gain your formal permission, sir, and that it something that I would very much like to have as I'm sure Luna would like it, as well."

"Very well then, but mark my words well. Treat her well, or you will have me to deal with, if there's anything left after she has had her way with you. Now, let's change the subject. I've received a very curious letter from Luna stating that you and she shall be training over summer holiday. You're more than welcome to stay with us over the holidays."

"Sir, let's get back with Auror Tonks. Perhaps after the Fidelus charm is cast, you could join us in a very safe location." Harry said and motioned for them to rejoin the others.

As Harry looked at Lionel Lovegood he watched the stern and determined man's grim expression go from that to one of of honesty happiness as he laid his eyes upon his Luna. Seeing the hesitancy in her expression go to the normal dreamy one upon that switch left Harry noticeably less worried and he quickly made his way towards his girlfriend once more.

Their hands shot together and fingers quickly intertwined once more Harry looked towards Tonks again to see a look of wonder in her face before catching her looking at him with the slightest hint of some hidden prank agenda. Harry warned himself mentally that he had to watch her closely as she had spent far too much time with a grim older werewolf whom had a pension towards pranks.

"Well, let's get on with it, then, shall well?"


	6. Severance

Severance

He was standing in the rain. He hated it. He never before liked the rain. It was cold, and while cold wasn't something that he was unaccustomed to it was still a reminder of a dark place that he spent over twenty-three years in. Azkaban, while hailed by the wizarding world as a prison for the darkest sorts of wizard also had a minimum security ward for crimes committed on a lesser scale. The dementors still patrolled the prison, but per contract didn't visit this particular wing. They did, however, come close enough to enhance the miserable feelings that were promoted as a means of punishment.

Gordon, standing in the rain, had to briefly close his eyes as a gust of wind caused the rain to shift and beat against his face. He was standing along Grimmauld place, in London. All of his sources had paid off and in unison said that something was going to happen here, tonight. He took it with a grain of salt, as the muggle expression goes, but when source after source confirmed it he had to be here, just in case.

Years in Azkaban had provided some time for odd bits and bobbles of clarity to sift into his somewhat lucid mind. He talked with the guards as they came and brought his thrice meals of the day. He relished in the confirmation that that traitorous cheating bitch he called his ex, Bellatrix Lestrange, nie Black, had been incarcerated. There were years upon years that he begged the guards to allow him just a brief moment of time to spend with her. He only wanted to spit in her face, to egg her on in her torment after what she had put him through. It was answered with volumes of laughter and torment. They wouldn't go for it, and the worse of it all came only two years ago when the Dark Lord came.

He never came to his cell, of course. Minimum security was well below what would have sparked his interest. The one that did visit was Bella. She came to his cell and stood there. Here beautiful visage was marred with years spent in the close and direct contact of the dementors. The insanity was ever-present and gripped a hold on his heart and threatened to not let go. Her crystal clear blue eyes were now fogged with a darkness that made them appear to be like the lower amethyst. She didn't do anything but stare at him with a vague recollection and in the back of it all a deep hurt that made the last two years echo over and over again.

The two years beyond that were not good. Manslaughter was the official term, and he received twenty years. He got another three for his reaction to the guards not allowing his confrontation. Perhaps he had been hasty but he had wanted to hurt her for what she had done to him. The complete and utter betrayal and with that of his brother had been unforgivable. He had had enough, and it eventually came done to fist to cuffs with James, but in the end, when he found that the Imperious Curse had been used upon her to perform such degrading acts, well, he took it to the performs.

Disillusioned and under his own invisibility cloak at number sixteen Grimmauld place his stood stock still has he heard the familiar sounds of apparation. The familiar black cloaked figures with the bone white masks quickly assembled before dispersing and placing themselves under disillusionment. He had to fight against his first impulse to the point that he felt his own teeth grinding against themselves. There was such hatred within himself now that they were here. They may have not been present or even taken part in what they had ultimately done to him but that didn't mean they weren't guilty of something else.

Time seemed to stand still, now. He knew that they were there but they were utterly clueless that he was there. It was only Five in the afternoon and he knew the Hogwarts Express had only landed in Kings Cross. They were there on their master's orders because of what had happened. Voldemort had left his nephew nowhere else to go. It was a trap that he had heard rumors that Severus Snape had planned immaculately. That bastard would pay and pay with his life if Gordon had anything to say about it.

Severus Snape had betrayed Bellatrix, Regulus and Gordon, himself, and that was completely without par. He didn't like the greasy git, and that was not only just saying something but had become Dogma for the past twenty three years. Of course Regulus had been next in the acts of betrayal. He had joined the Death Eaters as a direct result of their other best friend and blood Brother. Now, he understood why Sirius and his own brother, James, had called him Snivellus. He really was the lowest of the low.

Part of his regulated torture while being in a minimum security ward in the wizarding prison known as Azkaban was that whenever there was news pertaining even the most indirectly he was given the Daily Prophet or by word of mouth, if the printed word was unavailable. Therefore, he heard all about Severus Snape's declaration as being a spy for Dumbledore, which had come as a mild relief, and then later to hear of the folley's of his nephew, Harry. There were many things that had been printed about him within the past six years and most of them he tried to take with a grain of salt, hoping against hope that he was more like his mum than that idiot of a brother he still had to claim.

James was the oldest and therefore the heir of the Potter fortune, and while he was tucked away on some trumped up charges his Gringotts accounts had remained his own, although less substantial than that of his brother. Gordon learned of remarkable events that seemed to transpire each and every year for Harry and while he was allowed parchment and quill to write home, he didn't feel that contact with Harry would be prudent. He didn't feel that Harry would get along well with him, and frankly didn't want to take the risk to see whether or not he would even consider having much of a relationship with him whatsoever.

He knew that Sirius had been captured and placed in maximum security for the betrayal of James and Lily and while that was something that he believed to be far-fetched, most of the guards that he intereacted with on a daily basis had contrary opinions on the matter. Unfortunately, being in maximum security, the dementors patrolled those corridors alone without human interaction, and so there was only ever speculation on the event.

The summer following Harry's second year, he, like Sirius, did receive a copy of the same Daily Prophet showing a clear Peter Pettigrew in the hands of Harry's friend, Ronald Weasley, and he equally came to the same conclusion, that Peter had set a few things in motion. While not as brash or seemingly cunning as James or Sirius, Peter was just plain sneaky and didn't talk much when it came to his involvement with what the Marauders had gotten up to. Gordon was leery of the boy and found just cause plastered across the front page of the Daily Prophet.

Snapping from his musings, he found himself standing in the same downpour of rain, and while he couldn't see familiar faces, the voices of Severus Snape, Rastaban Lestrange, Lucius Malfoy and luckily Peter Pettigrew brought clarity to the reason why he was here. Malfoy and Lestrange he had debts of blood to pay. He was sorry that he hadn't heard the voice of his brother and still secretly hoped was among the amassed. Pettigrew, well, you killed my brother, and with that it's a honor debt that must be paid. There were others here, and judging by the voices, which were somewhat difficult to make out with the white noise of rain, he understood them to be of the newer recruit variety.

The time was here, and while it might not be now, just yet, Gordon was ready. The problem was visibility. The clouds above were heavy with rain and near pitch black. While still the late afternoon the street was also very dark. Thankfully, with the heavy clouds came thunder and bright lightning, which not only struck down sporadically, but also amongst the clouds which caused flashes.

'_How did I get myself into this mess?'_ He wondered silently. He knew the answer of course. Sirius Black had died just a little over a year ago and with that a journal had been delivered to his cell. To say that he was irate upon receiving it would be putting things well below perspective, but even with that being said, with it in hand he had it in shreds within minutes. The first page had been a direct mockery of him, bringing him back to school days. The boy, while not having any sisters had three cousins, Andromeda, Narcissa and his Bellatrix, or Bella, which he defended constantly even though they did not get along whatsoever. Sirius hated Gordon and Gordon felt equally about the one whom stole away his brother and one time best friend.

Unfortunately the journal was charmed and seconds later the tattered and shredded confetti knitted themselves back together again, seemingly new and fresh sitting mockingly mere feet from him where he had originally let it fall. Cursing himself because he fell for it immediately and ripped it to shreds a second time only for him to see the same results of a repaired journal. Gordon shook his head in utter frustration, and was shocked, which he picked up the book and opened the cover.

_Hello Gordon,_

_I know that I am probably the last person that you would ever wish to talk to, even with this medium, however there are things greater than hatred, and petty hatred at that. I make it known fully how I felt about you while were were in school, however, this needs to be gotten passed. You still have family, with both Harry and Nymphadora…_

Gordon shook himself out of his mental revelry. This wasn't the time to be caught off guard. It wouldn't do well to be here in the preparations of doing the right thing and be lost in thought as the many death eaters took out his objective. Harry came first and foremost.

Lightning flashed and the normal accompanied thunder masked the familiar sound of apparition. Gordon found himself not far from the only family he had. Harry Potter, looked so very much like his older brother, and at that point he was sure that was what he had heard for the past six years. He would never say anything about that. What he read and what he had heard would completely hinder him from falling into similar mistakes as his fellow wizards.

Gordon also immediately recognized the shortened stature of the very familiar Professor Flitwick. Gordon has spent many a night training with the man and had nothing but the utmost of respect for the vertically challenged killing machine. His hopes were raised just to above dismal at his presence.

There were a few others here that he didn't recognize. A blonde, whose hand was firmly in Harry's grasp. Someone whom could one be considered her father, based upon the resemblance and the dim link. There was two other women, one with bushy brown harry and another with shockingly pink and spiky hair. She certainly looks interesting, Gordon, thought, but then recognition came to light. The name, Nymphadora Tonks, and another of the Daily Prophet's that had been deposited announcing the debacle at the Department of Mysteries just a little over a year ago. Sirius journal kicked in and he needed to protect her, as well.

London, Engand, UK 12 Grimmauld Place – Exterior

Harry Potter's Point of View.

Bloody hell, he thought to himself. It had been raining at King's Cross, he conceded. This torrential downpoor they came into with apparition was absolutely horrid. With his normal slight stumble, Harry quickly took stock of the situation that he found himself in. Tonks, Professor Flitwick, Luna, Mr. Lovegood, Hermione, Blaise and Daphne all present and account for. A quick sigh of relief, but was short lived and as mundane as it were the wind shifted direction, causing the rain to come as such an angle that it was literally stinging both flesh and at times eyes.

With a sudden speed from below Harry quickly watched as Professor Flitwick took out his wand and, one at a time, soundlessly cast an impenetrable charm against the weather. Sighing, a second time, Harry quickly grasped Luna's hand, but as he did so, in that instant he felt the hairs on the back of his next rise. Something was amiss and it would do well to be on guard. Turning to look at Hermione, she caught on to what he was thinking and without wrist movement her wand was in her hand as well.

Luna looked around serenely and appeared to be in her other world until she met Harry's gaze. The look went from whimsical to that of steel and determination. She was of the same accord as Harry, something wasn't quite right.

"Professor, perhaps we should get on with it, shall we and then get out of this weather?" Harry asked hopefully to make it appear that it was the weather that was making them all out of sorts.

"Right you are, Mr. Potter. This really shouldn't take that long at all." They approached the very apparent number 12. The Fidelus was a thing of the past and while it was plain to see now, the neighborhood had been a relatively silent one in the past. Filius Flitwick took his wand firmly in hand and began waving his wand in an intricate pattern. To the untrained eye this was an amazing feet of magic. For those who knew what was actually happening, those that lurked in the dark awaiting to attack, they knew that they had to act quickly.

"Hem Hem!" A familiar voice was heard above the den of rain splatter against the asphalt. Harry, with lightning quick reflexes pulled Luna quickly behind him, masking the fact that her hair; which had been tied into a bun, held together by two simple sticks, one being her wand, fell to her shoulders, and she assumed a calm and serene expression on her face while taking a defensive stance.

"Umbitch!" Harry barely managing to keep his rage intact, while noticing at that same moment that several figures, cloaked in the same familiar black robes with accompanied white death eater masked walked from behind there disillusionment charms. Her look of distain was quite clear, but then another familiar voice broke the silence.

"Your arrogance …" Severus Snape started but was quickly ended by Harry's first silent spell, a Reducto aimed toward the direction from where that voice came. A hastily brought up shield immediately collapsed beneath the force of intent, and Severus Snape made a snap decision that probably saved his life in diving off towards the left. The curse still struck true, somewhat in clipping his shoulder.

"The time for witty banter is over Snivellus you stinking coward." Harry said angrily, losing sight of Deloris altogether. Sure, he should have taken the time to rationalize that he had an equal grievance with her, but with the presence of Snivellus Snivelling Snape, well, there was more important things in the world that an elderly toad-sprog and her fascination for pink cardigans.

"YOU'RE ANGRY, YES? FEELS GOOD THAT RIGHTEOUS ANGER, DOESN'T IT HARRY?" A voice that he hadn't heard before whatsoever called out from another direction, and a snap decision to cast an even stronger Reducto towards its direction.

It proved to be amusing as Harry quickly came to terms with his miscalculation on this point. The owner of that voice wasn't dressed as the others whatsoever. He wore robes, yes, but instead of the familiar black robes his were a deep crimson, to the point that the rain, which still poured down upon them made the fabric glisten like freshly spilt blood. Their border, which might have been considered golden at one point was a metallic mustard sort of yellow.

Harry watched in anticipation as his curse soared towards his target. The man stood stock still as if awaiting the curse to hit him, however just before impact he did the oddest sort of wand gesture, catching the curse with the tip of his wand before redirecting the curse towards the conversation's instigator, Deloris Umbridge.

During the brief interaction, the man's face had been obscured by the hood of his cloak. However, once that spell had been directed elsewhere, he reached up and quickly removed the hood for all to see.

"Gordon Potter, you bastard!" Rastaban Lestrange screamed at the top of his lungs however some of the other senior Death Eaters at the scene could only gasp. "Crucio!" He muttered, sending the sickeningly yellow curse hurtling towards Gordon with a grin of satisfaction, only to watch Gordon, again standing stock still, catching the unblockable and unforgivable curse and redirecting it amongst the death eater masses.

"AMATEURS! RANK AMATEURS AT THAT! IS THIS TRULY THE BEST THAT YOUR HALF-BLOODED MASTER HAS TO OFFER!? ARE YOU GOING TO TICKLE ME WITH THREATS OF FALSE PAIN IN THE HOPES THAT I COWER IN FEAR? I MEAN IT WORKED FOR THE REST OF THE BLOODY WIZARDING WORLD, SO WHY NOT ME, YES?" Gordon was doing his best to antagonize the lot of them in the hopes of getting somewhat of a fight out of them, but they were too taken back by his presence. His plan was working as he thought that it should.

Harry Potter stood rooted where he was, looking toward a man he heard to be Gordon Potter, but who was he? Was he a relative? There were a million questions that were bouncing back and forth within his head. Why hadn't anyone ever mentioned him before? Not even Remus or Sirius has said even a word about him, and none of the pictures that he had acquired over the years even so much as hinted that he existed at all. He would hold the former headmaster to take and hopefully seek answers from the portrait.

Then as the hood came down, he did see a certain familial resemblance. The uncontrollable hair had been a dead give-away, however instead of black it was a dirty blond and his eyes were blue instead of Hazel. He looked worse for wear judging by the scares upon his chin, but familiar nonetheless. There was also an unmistakable intensity in his eyes that promised his actions against those whom he considered to be his enemies would not be of the pleasant variety, whatsoever.

Harry found himself, at this very moment, all but forgotten by the forty plus Death Eaters whom found themselves at Grimmauld Place this evening. He had to think quick if he wanted those here to survive. Looking at the hesitation that was clear in the lack of actions by what he could only assume to be nooby DE's, he quickly took a leadership role.

"Reducto on my mark, take aim and incapacitate, meaning take them out of the fight." Harry said, looking towards his friends seeing their acknowledgement of his command.

"Harry, wait!" Hermione trying to interrupt desperately. "You can't expect us to use the unforgivables, it would just be that, unforgivable." Hermione tried desperately to argue. Harry was having none of it. There was a time for a debate and there was a time to fight.

"Hermione, now is not the time. Now is not the time to think yourself more clever than the death eaters, either. If you silence one of them where you could have reductoed them, I'll kill you myself if you survive. We have to take them out by any means necessary," He said, looking towards Blaise and Daphne seeing a true devious glint in both of their eyes. He turned back to Hermione, "The time to talk about this is afterwards when we discuss what we did to survive and what we will do differently if the situation presents itself, again." He said, ending with what he hoped came across as a kind sympathetic look. She resigned herself to that of utter determination, wand at the ready.

"Now," he said, and immediately started flinging Reducto after Reducto at the random death eater while he watch in horror as multiple Crucio and even Avada Kedavra's headed towards the new player.

Harry couldn't turn away as he watched this person faced with ten unforgivable curses headed his way. Patiently, he snatched each and every curse out of the air with a grace Harry had not seen used in combat, and without immediately displacing the spells. Lucius Malfoy removed his hood, standing only ten meters away from Gordon and sneared at the man before having to dive out of the way as all ten curses were immediately directed towards him.

Harry could only conclude that there hadn't been any love lost between the Malfoy and Potter clan that predated his little squabbles with Draco Malfoy in the school yard. He was impressed but that was quickly interrupted as a Crucio quickly passed his right landing on the only Auror that had accompanied them.

Tonks screams were of utmost agony and were immediately accompanied by the angered scream of Gordon and someone else whom had only just Apparated into the field of battle. Her scream chilled Harry to the bone as he quickly whipped around to come face to face with none other than Bellatrix Lestrange.

_**Outside the Gardens - **__**Black Citadel – Ravenscar – North York Moors**_

Bellatrix stood stock still, looking down at the freshly filled grave. Her suffering for all of these years was over at the hand of this man. There had been others. There still were others whom would have to pay. She didn't stand at this grave and weep for that of a loving husband.

She stood here with resolve. There were too many times and too many years that had passed her by without love in her life and she had been partially responsible for that. James Potter. She completely and totally hated the name and the man. He had ruined everything. She had thought for the longest time, however, she also knew that they both had been the victim of a vicious prank. One that had changed the course of her life forever, she thought bitterly as she could still just close her eyes and see Gordon's look of hatred at finding her in his brother's bed apparently sated from a night of coupling.

Then nine months later, in Hogwarts Hospital wings she had to deal with the fact that the Potter and Black Families were totally intertwined. The shame that her mother expressed afterwards landed her with him, she thought bitterly, looking at the freshly displaced soil.

Walking back into the entrance to the Citadel, she noticed a mirror vibrating in front of a portrait of her mum.

"Blood traitor." Was the only world that her mum's portrait said, and she thanked herself lucky that her mum wasn't quite as fanatical as Auntie Walpurga Black, Sirius and Regulus' mum. It still made her hang her head in shame, but, it wasn't for the fact that she was a blood traitor, and she made no mistake that is what she was. She had never wanted to follow her mum's directions, she was too much like her older sister, Andromeda. She wished her mum had chosen a different path. However, the vibration quickly brought her to the realization that there was an attack very close to her former cousin's house.

It was time. She checked herself in the mirror and couldn't help by admire what stared back at her. Her previously black and crazed hair was more subdued and now tied in a long plate down her back. Her complexion was slightly more rosy, now that she wasn't constantly plagued with the presence of Dementors. She had to go, she realized and she had never been one to be narcissistic. But at the same time, she was a realist. She was dressed smartly in Dragon-hide leather that took towards each curve and provided the maximum protection while still enchanted to allow for total mobility.

Time was of the essence. There were other death eaters that had to be there just besides one. She knew this because the charm to vibrate was set at an intensity level based upon the number of dark marks within the vicinity.

"Show me, number 12." She stated clearly, and to her shock Gordon was there. She hadn't expected to see him there trading blows with death eaters again after the trouble he received from the last time. Times had changed, she rationalized. There wasn't Cornelius Fudge there to cause problems based upon the amount of galleons that were passed between vaults.

She grabbed her whip and her wand and quickly made it back outside. After a brisk jog she made her way just outside of the gates and away from the anti-apparition wards that prevented her leaving, and with a soft pop, she was gone.

What she saw upon her arrival made her heart ache. Nymphadora had been hit with a Cruciatus curse and it made her heart ache to the point that the scream that escaped her lips was completely uncontrollable. Without thoughts of safety or even making a cover for her presence, her only thought was to protect her.

Bellatrix immediately and without preamble jumped into the line of sight of the unforgivable and immediately started writhing on the ground in front of him in utter torment, taking the curse from Tonks. Harry turned to see who had cast the curse only to see the familiar sneer across Lucius' face as he took time before releasing the curse from his supposed kinswoman.

Releasing the curse from her, slow as it was for him to do proved to be a failing that would soon be realized. Bellatrix jumped quickly from the ground, shaking the effects of the curse as if she was shaking the rain from her leather-clad body, before she quickly retrieved a whip from it's harness in the flash of a millisecond before it's length stretched out striking Lucius across the throat with a vicious thwack! Yanking on the handle quickly caused him to stumble until he was upon his knees only 3 meters away. She quickly kicked him between the uprights as hard as she could before repeating her efforts over and again causing all the males present to wince if phantom sympathy, even Gordon and Harry.

Using the moment of stunned silence she withdrew her sword and proceeded to make short work of the remaining standing death eaters before those still alive came to their senses and Disapparated away. Exhausted, she fell to her knees in resignation before the crimson clad familiar figure of one Gordon Potter.

"Bellatrix Lestrange." Gordon said without a visible emotion in his voice whatsoever, which caused her to wince before him. There was something hidden in his voice which brought her back to the day that the Dark Lord had freed his supposed incapacitated faithful. She hung her head in shame, now, knowing that she truly deserved his loathing. Her hope in finding him here and now all but gone.

"Black." She said in almost a whisper.

"How's that?" Gordon asked, thinking that he hadn't quite heard her, or what he had heard was a trick that his ears were playing upon him.

"It's Black, Gordon. Rodolphus is no more." She said looking up at him, her violet eyes brimmed with tears that the rain just couldn't quite get it. He looked at her now for seemed to be a very long time. She turned and looked towards the others still present but hopefully out of earshot. "They were hurting my baby, Gordon, surely you couldn't understand…"

"Yes, I understand, although, her creation is still a bitter pill for me, as I'm sure that you understand, yes?" He said looking at her critically now, before dropping down to a knee and placing his hand gently and hoping it conveyed some sympathy, however her hopes of it being out of earshot were quickly dashed as within the blink of an eye. She felt Harry's wand pushing harshly against her throat and the familiar glint of righteous anger in his eyes. The tip of his wand started to glow with, again, a familiar sickening yellow, before he was toppled by Gordon, flat to the ground.

"What's this about a baby, ickle Bella!?" Harry groaned rubbing his newly pained posterior.

"Mr. Potter, if I may be so bold…" Lionel Lovegood said, hoping to honestly breach the argument, and upon seeing the resigned look in his prospective daughter's suitor, "We need to concentrate on restoring the Fidelus and perhaps then, we could take this inside?"

There was nothing more than a calm look of resign on her face now. The fact of the matter was this. Harry Potter had heard something, and while she couldn't immediately swat it away as being something less than it was, it was still there. She had been heard and there was a certain anguish on her face that hadn't been there before.

Yes, she hated. She was human and the first and most hated on her list was James Potter. It was probably an irrational hatred but that hatred had inevitably been inherited by her own first cousin, Sirius Black. There were a lot of issues between her and Sirius. The fact that they were close in age and had, at one time; before school at Hogwart's School for Witches and Wizards, been close friends had been torn completely when they had been inevitably sorted into different houses. The worst part was that she didn't just get hell for being sorted into a different house from him, but her mum as well.

Bellatrix Black had been sorted into Ravenclaw, and while she didn't have as much ambition as her sisters, she still was quite the studious one. There, she met another anomaly, with Gordon Potter, whom had been the first Potter to be sorted into Ravenclaw in well over two hundred years. Looking at her house mate, now, she sighed deeply. Her eyes met his and for the briefest of moments she felt his firm detachment slide into that of hope and then worry. Did he still have feelings for her, after all this time and after so much bad blood between the Potter and the Black families?

A/N: I don't do this often, but I wanted to take the opportunity to say that I took the inspiration for my character of Gordon Potter from that of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. He's not going to be Gordon Ramsay, per say, however he will have a certain snarkiness in this story as to aid what I want to happen.


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